Creatures & Damsels: Endgame
by Japan Boy
Summary: Part three of a three-part Disney / Toho trilogy: what starts out as a friendly get-together in Tokyo turns into a situation concerning the arrival of two strangers who bring a warning to the Sugimoto family & their friends as they explain of a returning terror from a long-ago past, which becomes a fight for their survival like never before. Kindly review if read.


For singers/actors Corbin Bleu & Zendaya Coleman, who were the main inspirations for the characters of modern-day

Maui & Moana (Corbin Bleu is perhaps best known as Chad Danforth in Disney's 'High School Musical' trilogy;

Zendaya Coleman is best known as Rocky Blue in Disney Channel's 'Shake It Up' (2010-2013), K.C. Cooper in

'K.C. Undercover' (2015-2018), & has starred in movies such as 'Spider-Man: Homecoming' as Michelle 'MJ' Jones

for Marvel Studios, & Anne Wheeler in the musical drama 'The Greatest Showman', both released in 2017).

To the loving memory of actor & former military drill instructor Ronald Lee Ermey, who became the main inspiration

for the character Ronald Len Ernie who I first introduced in 'Frozen / Godzilla II: Maidens & Monsters' (Ronald Lee

Ermey is best known as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in 1987's 'Full Metal Jacket', for which he won an Oscar for.

Ronald Lee Ermey passed away on April 15th, 2018 from complications related to pneumonia. He was 74 years old).

 **CREATURES & DAMSELS:**

 **ENDGAME**

2018 by Anthony Ogozalek

 **PROLOGUE #1**

 _Arendelle, Norway, 1788:_

After freezing/breaking free from her shackles & escaping through a hole in the wall of the dungeon in her own castle shortly before Prince Hans entered with a platoon of guards, Elsa wandered across the frozen fjord, her feelings consisting of confusion & fear. Her ice/snow powers were raging out of control, & having no way of controlling it, the snowstorm only grew bigger & more fierce by the second. Since the incident long ago with Anna when she accidentally struck her head as children, Elsa became scared of her natural-born ability, keeping her distance from Anna & everyone else as best she could.

But since the big revelation at her coronation, Elsa was feared by her own people, & now she was on the run with no way of controlling her powers.

The storm only continued to grow, with no signs of stopping.

 _Many miles above the Earth:_

Having traveled for many centuries across the vastness of outer space, the ship finally reached its destination as its intended target for colonization came into view on their window & viewscreens. This ship was quite large, being a diameter of 100 meters in circumference & engines that were as quiet as they were powerful, pushing the vessel through space's merciless vacuum with ease. Crewmen were working their instruments as the third planet from the sun became closer/larger with every passing moment.

"We shall reach the planet's surface in a matter of minutes, commander" said one crew member.

"Excellent", the commander said. "After countless years of wandering through space, we've finally reached our objective once more. And _this_ time, we're more prepared than our ancestors were, who've been defeated by enemies on this planet centuries ago. Once we find out who their descendants are, we shall make them suffer unimaginably just as _they_ did to ours before we…"

A bleeping noise that filled the bridge caught their attention.

"What's that?", the commander asked.

"Commander, our sensors have picked up an immense power source on the planet's surface below!", said another crew member after quickly checking the readings.

"What kind?"

"Sir, believe it or not, it's a massive snowstorm that's being conjured up by one of the planet's inhabitants…by a _human_ , no less!"

This bit of news came as a surprise to the commander & the rest of the ship's inhabitants.

But it _also_ presented to them an opportunity.

"Excellent!", the commander said. "We've been blessed with not only reaching our destination but also a human who can create a snowstorm on a whim – a human that can help to benefit our cause! Where is its point of origin?"

"Sir, the readings are getting its strongest signal in the land called Norway, in the town called Arendelle!", said the crew member.

"Get us there immediately! We will _have_ this human as a weapon for our conquest of this planet!"

"Yes sir!"

Setting their ship on a course for Norway, the alien visitors put on their strongest burst of speed & reach Arendelle in only a few minutes, ready to set down on the planet & capture the one capable of projecting snow & ice with but a mere thought.

But disaster struck once they penetrated the atmosphere & reached Norway: the snowstorm Elsa created after her escape from the castle was so strong, the alien ship was wobbling/shaking violently as systems aboard were sparking & shorting out. Crew members & even the commander were thrown around in the bridge & everywhere else, crying out in fear & disbelief.

The commander ordered for the shields to be raised until the storm subsided, but one crewman said that the shield generator was one of the first systems to short out.

With no protection from Elsa's snowstorm & unable to make a hasty retreat, the ship was tossed around like a bean in a jar.

Nobody in Arendelle below knew there was an alien ship in their midst; they were too busy trying to get through Elsa's storm to notice it.

The force of the snowstorm threw the ship far away from Arendelle, striking the side of a mountain & making a violent crash into the ground as it jarred the area before a fissure opened up & swallowed it up, disappearing from sight in moments.

How deep it fell into this fissure, no one really knew – not even the crew itself.

For them, everything went dark.

 **PROLOGUE #2**

 _The North Pole, January 18_ _th_ _, 2015, 11:30 a.m.:_

Watching at a distance from their custom-made fishing boat, the young man & woman each peered through their binoculars as they bore witness to a crew that was retrieving a large block of ice with the use of heavy machinery before being loaded onto a large platform truck with wheels that were 7-8 feet tall, capable of going over any rugged terrain.

Using the utmost careful precision, the cranes that lifted the ice block placed it onto the flatbed before men started securing it firmly with ropes/straps to keep it in place for the haul back.

Once they got confirmation of its securement, the platform truck moved out with its heavy load towards a pair of submarines waiting on the outskirts of the North Pole. The two vessels were unlike any submarines the young woman & man have seen before, having unusual characteristics for seagoing craft.

They certainly don't look like they belonged to any member of the Navy, American or otherwise.

Ignoring the factor for now, they watched as the truck stopped near the riverbank before the mobile cranes came into position & unloaded the block of ice, attaching it to both subs on thick cables that were several feet away from the propellers in the rear. Getting their payload secure, the two submarines roared to life as its crew members boarded their rides home before closing the hatches & pulling away with their prize in tow behind them, leaving their cranes & dead bodies behind.

All the dead bodies lying in the ice were the _original_ owners of the equipment until they were shot & killed by the ones taking the block of ice that contained a large object within.

Although it was hazy even with their binoculars, the young man & woman knew _exactly_ what was frozen inside.

It angered them more than the people they killed so callously.

It also gave them a sense of dread.

"After all these years…somebody finally digs him out", said the young man, lowering his binoculars. "This is something our family always dreaded."

"I know what you mean", said the young woman, lowering her own pair. "But then, we always _knew_ that this day would come, regardless of how we wished otherwise."

The man nodded, admitting his partner was right.

"But don't worry: he's been beaten before, & we'll do it again", the woman said, turning to her partner. "All that _we_ need to do is follow them without being detected to where they came from before formulating a plan to take him out of the equation…and _permanently_ this time. You with me?"

He looked directly at her with a smile.

"You even need to ask? Let's put an _end_ to this menace once & for all!", he says, causing a smile from her mouth before they head back inside & start up the boat's motors which hardly made a sound as they pushed their vessel through the Arctic's frigid waters.

Staying a good distance behind to avoid detection, they trailed the subs to wherever they went.

The hunt was officially on!

 **CHAPTER I**

 _One57 Apartment Complex, 157 West 57_ _th_ _Street, Manhattan, Monday, September 12_ _th_ _, 2016, 9:00 a.m.:_

After the 9/11 tribute concert was all said & done, Stephanie Beatrice, her assistant/bodyguard Dennis, General Ronald Len Ernie, Commander Yoshi Shimazaki, the Benice, Fleming & Sugimoto families were driven back to their rooms at the apartment complex they were briefly staying at, with Maximus, Sven & Angus following close behind & headed for their stables for the night, but not before Eugene, Kristoff & Merida feed them with their favorite diet before doing so themselves at a nearby McDonald's.

Due to it being a late hour, the place wasn't as crowded & made it simpler for them to pick up the meals of their choice. General Ernie even joked that while he prefers a full gourmet meal over fast food, he still wasn't above grabbing some 'Mickey D's' now & then.

The group shared a giggle from Ronald's attempt at humor.

Having gotten some food, they all retreated into their rooms at the complex.

Stephanie even had a spare room for both Ronald & Yoshi, saying it was all theirs with a pair of beds to sleep in.

Offering their gratitude to the singer, the general & commander slept well.

In the morning, Maximus, Sven & Angus got their stables cleaned out & fed their breakfast by their owners at 8:00 before Eugene, Kristoff & Merida each headed back in, showered & joined the rest for their own breakfast in the complex's main dining room to enjoy meals of eggs, cereal, pancakes/waffles & juices to help begin their day.

Pascal of course was fed scraps by Rapunzel, snatching each up with his tongue.

The former Corona princess giggled every time.

"Great show you & the kidss put on the other night, Stephanie!", Yoshi says.

" _I'll_ say, Yoshi!", Ronald says. "It's events like that which makes me _so proud_ to be serving this great nation of ours!"

"Thank you _very_ much, gentlemen!", Stephanie says, grinning proudly. "That will definitely be remembered as one of the most heartfelt 9/11 tributes this city – or even this _country_ – has ever performed for years to come! And _part_ of that success goes to _you_ people: I truly _cannot_ thank you enough for making it that way!"

Stephanie referred to Eugene, Kristoff, Nathan, Patricia, Anna, Elsa, Rapunzel & Merida – each of whom smiled pleasantly.

"It was our pleasure, Stephanie!", Patricia said.

"Absolutely!", Nathan adds. "We've been planning on visiting Downtown Manhattan as a group for over a year, & having _you_ joining it made this trip & 9/11 tribute all the more memorable!"

"Amen!", they all said in unison, lifting their glasses in a toast before taking a sip.

"So, with the 9/11 tribute all said & done, what _will_ you be doing next, Stephanie, if I might ask?", Elinor says.

"With people still being rescued from damages caused in Moscow, St. Petersburg & also Paris, I'll continue doing performances to help raise money for disaster relief", the singer says. "The damage done was worsethan even _we_ first expected."

The group bowed their heads in sorrow: most of them had first-hand experience at both cities when Moscow was besieged by Anguirus, Chaos, Gaira & Sanda, followed after by Paris when the spiked creature was joined by Baragon, Slashfang, Mothra, Megaguirus & Godzilla, destroying many buildings & getting people trapped underneath rubble as they filled city streets.

It's a scenario they never get completely used to, despite having experienced it numerous times before.

"It's never easy…is it?", Kristoff asked as everyone lifts their heads & shake it slightly.

"What about Syria & North Korea?", Eugene wondered. "I know they're not our favorite countries right now for good reason, but…"

"You needn't worry, Eugene", Yoshi says. "We're bringing them our aide as well, now that _both_ of their supreme rulers are gone. General Ernie & I are already making every effort in North Korea, giving the people food, better shelter, & whatever else they need to get themselves through. We've been doing so since after Godzilla, Rodan, Gaira & Sanda struck Pyongyang & vacated the country."

"Those countries _deserve_ our aide as much as anyone else that's been hit by monsters", Rapunzel said. "It wasn't the people's fault their lands were ruled by a horrific, cold-blooded tyrant: they had no choice _but_ to follow them, lest they be imprisoned & possibly even killed for the smallest of offenses."

"Well said, Rapunzel", Anna said. "They were too scared of Bashar Al-Assad & Kim Jong Un to do anything _but_ obey their orders, never knowing that there's people ready & willing to give them a helping hand when they need it most. But now that they're freed of their tyranny, they can finally see the world in a different light than they were used to for endless years."

"Exactly, Anna", said Elsa. "The phrase 'one bad apple doesn't spoil the whole bunch' has never been truer than with these two countries, especially with North Korea: they've been fed nothing but lies & propaganda for so long, they hardly know what truth is anymore. But with the Kim regime no more, those people will know a much better life in the coming weeks, months & years."

"That they will, Elsa", Ronald says. "With the aide _we're_ pouring into their country, they've been getting a much better view of America & its allies, including Japan _and_ its southern neighbor South Korea. Having cooperated with us since our arrival, things are progressing smoothly in making North Korea much more a part of the world than it's ever been in the past. It won't be no 'hermit kingdom' any longer."

"It's great that North Korea can finally become an open part of the world, General, but never forget there could always be some still fiercely loyal to the Kim regime", Merida warned. "Please keep a sharp lookout for these stragglers who _don't_ wish for their way of life to change."

"Not to worry, Merida", Yoshi said. "We suspected as much even before we arrived there, so we've already sent out several patrols searching for these people as we speak. Whoever wishes for change in North Korea, we'll have them join in with our platoon. Those who don't shall be imprisoned or shot if they force our hands."

At that moment, Pascal started acting up by making croaking noises & pointing, his eyes wide.

"What is it, Pascal?", Rapunzel asked, seeing her little friend in such a frantic state.

Turning to where Pascal was pointing, the group saw something on the big flat-screen television on the wall of the dining area which made them take immediate notice: it was live footage of Godzilla strolling through a patch of land as mobile forces on both the ground & in the air moved in to intercept the creature. On the bottom of the screen it displayed a message for all to read:

 **IRAN INVADED BY GODZILLA, HEADING DIRECTLY FOR TEHRAN**

"Hey mate…turn that up, will, ya?", Gus called to the waiter closest to the television & nodded as he grabbed the remote & complied with the British agent man's request. The group got up from their seats & got closer to the TV set as an off-screen male announcer was making his report.

"… _for those of you who are just tuning in, I'm reporting live from the outskirts of Tehran, Iran where the monster known worldwide as Godzilla is on approach towards the country's capital city as its military forces gather outside the perimeter to try & repel the gigantic creature…_"

On the screen, Godzilla unleashed an ear-shattering roar that drowned out the announcer's voice as he covered his ears to muffle the sound. Even with his headphones on, the noise stung.

Everybody in the dining area watched as events unfolded halfway around the world.

 _The outskirts of Tehran, Iran, between Zivan & Koleyn, 5:35 p.m.:_

Just as Godzilla had promised to Mothra & her twin larva after they'd defeated Slashfang & Megaguirus in Paris, the Monster King – along with the spiked creature Anguirus & the subterranean dinosaur Baragon – helped to deliver the giant lepidopteran & her twin young over to Infant Island, where the islanders eagerly await the arrival of their giant guardian/protector as said creatures guide the adult ashore. The Shobijin rode atop the adult Mothra's head, having been doing so since being summoned by Mothra before the helicopters that carried their friends turned around & took off in the opposite direction.

Despite the joy of seeing Mothra returning to her home, the islanders were saddened to see her injuries caused by Slashfang – wounds that were all but fatal.

Like Godzilla, Anguirus & Baragon do, the Shobijin & their islanders knew that the adult Mothra was very much going to expire & very soon.

The one saving grace is that Mothra will still continue to live on in her twin young, plus the fact that she has the chance to expire at her own home, surrounded by those that worship & love her.

Heading for her shores, Mothra & her young chirped their thanks to Anguirus, Baragon _and_ Godzilla for helping to escort them home, & that they were all very grateful.

The three dinosaurian monsters uttered grunts & low roars of approval/appreciation before heading off.

Anguirus & Baragon announced they were heading back to the islands in the south Pacific.

Godzilla, however, stated that he wasn't: without another sound, the Monster King swam off solo & headed west, heading towards Asia as he traveled along the waters of the Indonesian area until arriving The Gulf of Oman, followed by the Persian Gulf where he surfaced in the country of Iran, near Bu Taheri.

Utilizing the cover of a thick fog bank that covered the country, Godzilla was not seen anywhere in the country by any eyes in the areas he stomped about on. Only his thunderous footsteps & occasional roars marked his position, & those that were close enough to the sounds immediately kept their distance as best they could.

Amazingly, despite the occasional destruction of buildings/houses, Godzilla never once used his heat ray.

It wasn't until Godzilla reached the Shamsabad Industrial City did he get spotted as the thick fog bank had finally dissipate, revealing the Monster King to the Iranian people. People screamed in fear at the actual sighting of the monster, running for cover to avoid getting trampled.

Even though pressed for time due to short notice on Godzilla's position, the Iranian military was still able to put together a squadron of attack vehicles outside the perimeter of Tehran as the civilians all scrambled to evacuate Tehran as quickly as possible in the brief timespan given them. Tanks of the Chieftain FV4201, M60 Patton, T-72 & Raad-2 Self-Propelled Howitzer variety accompany BM-21 Grad Multiple Rocket Launchers & well-placed GC-45 155mm Howitzer cannons. Heavily armed troops stood by these battle-hardened vehicles while awaiting orders from their commanding general Nasser Ziryan: a veteran of the Gulf War as a private, he rose to general status in the aftermath of the Iraq War in 2003, holding it to this day.

Hard as nails as he is on the battlefield, Nasser is humane & would risk life & limb for any of his men.

Every one of his men – including Colonel Artavaz Vahan – knows it well.

Godzilla bellowed an ear-shattering roar even from a distance, putting the men on high alert.

Nasser turned to his troops & spoke with a strong sense of authority.

"Everybody in position! Our enemy is on approach, & your task is to drive him away from our capital & send him in the direction of the water with everything you can throw at him! But whatever happens, know this: Godzilla _is not_ to enter our beloved Tehran under _any_ circumstances! Do you understand?!"

" _Yes sir!_ ", shouted the men, saluting.

Godzilla unleashed another roar as the men get into position, readying their tanks & cannons.

 _I don't know_ why _you decided to come here to my country, Godzilla, but you are_ not welcome _in my land!_ , Nasser thought as he stared at the monster with a cold set of eyes.

Godzilla's footsteps shook the earth with every attempt, becoming ever closer to Tehran.

"Artavaz, is our Air Force also on standby?", Nasser asked, turning to him.

"They are", Artavaz replied. "Even upon short notice, the pilots are ready & waiting for takeoff. Several choppers are en route as we speak to give us air support against this beast."

The sounds of structures in Shamsabad being trampled by Godzilla's massive body gave the signal for Nasser's men to open fire, which the general gives the order to.

In a single motion, round after powerful round of artillery was fired from every vehicle & headed straight for the oncoming creature. Each projectile made contact with Godzilla, exploding against his flesh as the Monster King roared in annoyance, becoming ever closer to the perimeter line of Tehran's defense. Shells, rockets & machine gun fire came at Godzilla from each vehicle & military personnel not stationed inside a vehicle, using every piece of artillery they can muster to bring the monster down.

Powerful as the attack is, it neither stops nor slows Godzilla's advance towards Iran's capital.

Even the use of hand-held RPGs did nothing to deter his progress.

Godzilla lifted his head & roared angrily before lighting up his rear dorsal spines & the inside of his mouth, filling Nasser & Artavaz with dread: having learned about the monster, they knew all too well that this was the method Godzilla uses before firing the heat ray which emits from his mouth, a weapon capable of melting steel & concrete on a whim.

None of the men would survive such a devastating hit, & their tanks would be absolutely no protection against it.

As loud as he could, Nasser shouted to his men the order to move out of the way of Godzilla's primary weapon.

But because nobody could hear him due to the deafening blasts, his warning came for naught: Throwing his head forward, Godzilla unleashed a stream of blue-white energy that struck the first battalion of armored vehicles, detonating each one in powerful explosions that killed their operators within, having only a few seconds to scream in terror before being incinerated. Men _without_ the protection of tanks hardly had time to scream at all before getting vaporized.

Debris from blasted vehicles rained down the immediate area as Nasser, Artavaz & several other men dodged the flaming/melted pieces to avoid getting crushed from above. The general & colonel barely dodged death.

Others weren't so fortunate: with no time to cry out, these were flattened instantly as men had become memories when what was left of their squadron fell upon them. Although they survived, Nasser & Artavaz's hearts were crushed, seeing proud men that served under their wing get snuffed out in the wink of an eye.

Both men stared at Godzilla with fire in their eyes as the Monster King continued his advance towards Tehran.

Shortly before reaching the area of Golabad, Godzilla was engaged in combat with a plethora of IAIO Toufan attack helicopters, armed with rockets & a long swivel machine gun mounted underneath the nose. Thirty of these bad birds came at Godzilla & launched a multitude of their armament at the oncoming beast. Each one split up in various directions to make it difficult for Godzilla to get a bead on any of them as they flew around him like angry bees while unloading their payloads on the monster.

In a fit of rage, Godzilla lit up his dorsal spines & fired his heat ray, swiveling his head wherever he heard chopper blades slapping the air. Each whirlybird went up in blasts of orange-yellow balls of fire as debris fell from the skies & landed upon Iranian soil. The battle against the choppers lasted a good five minutes before Godzilla took them each out with his weapon, & a few he even swatted with his tail in a speed that belied his immense size.

Neither Nasser nor Artavaz saw any ejections, let alone parachutes.

Having wiped out the IAIO Toufans, Godzilla let out a roar that echoed for miles before continuing his trek for Tehran.

During his approach, Godzilla was under attack by a new armada of aircraft: HESA Saeqeh & Azarakhsh fighter jets that swooped in like guided missiles & launched theirs in a simultaneous manner, peppering Godzilla's body with explosions which confused/enraged him. A second wave of missiles struck the monster from behind as the jets did a U-turn, unleashing their payloads & blasting at Godzilla in the rear.

When they passed by the creature, it was then that Godzilla did his _own_ surprise attack from the rear: firing his heat ray, the beast struck & destroyed a cluster of over half a dozen jets that couldn't evade vaporization fast enough & exploded in mid-air. Godzilla did the same to jets that were in mid-turn, never getting a chance to get themselves in his sights to launch another volley of missiles in his direction. Those that _were_ able to fire more didn't do much at all, & were soon blasted into fiery blasts with no survivors.

Seeing his mighty forces defeated by this one giant creature deeply saddened & enraged Nasser & Artavaz like they've never been before: were they fighting against men that invaded their land or doing battle in another land, they would emerge victorious due to Nasser & Artavaz's leadership.

But going against a creature like Godzilla made them both look like rank amateurs, & it cost them the lives of a lot of good men who've served under their wing for many years.

Godzilla's trek to Tehran went unabated until he reached Meraj Town.

The air raid sirens blared across Tehran, reminding the remaining citizens that might still be left in the city of the monster's approach as Godzilla bashes his way through structures that happen to be in his way, flattening vehicles into scrap metal. Hitting the buildings of Meraj Town, Godzilla pulverizes whichever ones are in his way with his immense bulk before being slammed by more tanks & multiple rocket launchers on the northern side of the Azadegan expressway which were laid out in Yas Park. Godzilla bellowed an ear-shattering roar as he was bombarded by hundreds of shells & rockets that rocked his body but never swayed his course, much less halted it.

Letting loose with another blast of his heat ray, Godzilla obliterated the armed forces along the park, destroying each vehicle & setting trees ablaze as the area went up in a fiery holocaust that killed every living soul within. People & animals were burned alive, with only a handful of birds being lucky enough to escape a horrible death.

With the competition literally blown away, Godzilla resumed his course that now takes him into Tehran itself.

Police officers in the city were hurriedly rushing any leftover civilians away from the towering creature that has now invaded their home, steering clear of Godzilla _and_ the debris he tossed around with his hands & tail.

The Monster King plowed through the areas of Vesal Town & Chaharsad Dastgah, turning buildings into piles of rubble as he became a living battering ram. Each one fell under his tremendous power like houses of cards within a heartbeat, going from living quarters to demolished ruins almost like magic.

As Godzilla reached & passed the Besat Expressway & entered the Raja Train Maintenance Center, he was once more assaulted by fighter jets, only these were of the Mikoyan MiG-29 & Chengdu J-7 variety – and there were _plenty_ of these streaming right towards Godzilla in a swarm that counted in the dozens.

While these new jets were fast approaching Godzilla, another armada of ground forces were mobilizing upon the monster at various locations so as not to give Godzilla an easy target. From behind in a jeep driven by Artavaz that was _not_ destroyed, Nasser caught up to the prehistoric behemoth as he guided what remained of his forces in an orderly hit on the creature. Once his orders were given, the plan went into effect right away as jets streaked across the sky & landed several hits from their missiles before breaking off to allow some of the ground forces to commence with their attack.

From numerous locations, Godzilla was hit by exploding shells, rockets & missiles which has confused as well as enraged him but didn't have any idea on where to start counterattacking. Even after three minutes of being used for target practice by the Iranian military, Godzilla couldn't decide as the bombardment he was suffering made him more erratic than ever.

Shooting his heat ray, Godzilla aimed it indiscriminately & at random, hoping to get as many jets/ground vehicles as he can. While some met a fiery demise, many were still present & kept on blasting away at the Monster King, never letting up on their assault.

Numerous buildings were getting pummeled of course, but it was collateral damage that the authorities could live with. Watching Godzilla suffer immensely by his country's armament put a smile on Nasser & Artavaz's faces.

Their smiles were wiped from their faces when they heard a cackling sound from the west, turning to see a large pterodactyl-like beast with a dark red/maroon flesh tone closing in fire a uranium heat beam from its gray beak, blowing apart several jets attacking Godzilla that left no survivors.

Rodan – the Samurai of the Skies – has entered Iranian airspace & attacks its air force with heat beam and/or his unmatched aerial maneuverability, outracing even their fastest jets & best-skilled pilots. With each aircraft Rodan takes down, the burden on Godzilla was lessened as jets literally dropped from the skies in twisted/smoking ruins by Rodan's superiority in the skies, hence his given nickname – one he absolutely lives up to.

Despite his extraordinary speed, Rodan was still hit by several launched rockets/missiles, exploding all over his body that caused the mutant Pteranodon to cry out, though more in annoyance than in anguish. Making a U-turn with a grace that was mesmerizing for human eyes to view, Rodan collided with a handful of fighter jets, blasting them into a million pieces in deafening explosions. Rodan even swatted some with his wings in mid-air, getting the same results.

No matter what the pilots tried, none of them could escape death by the flying monster.

Immediately having the burden of the jets off his back, Godzilla continued his advance north into the Khani Abad District, demolishing buildings that were in his way & even destroying any & all military vehicles that has taken shelter behind them. Unleashing a blast of blue-white energy, Godzilla blasts apart several buildings that impede his path along with whatever vehicles/military personnel that happened to be in the area, sweeping/blasting it all away in an arch from his primary weapon. More than half of Nasser's squadron were depleted by Godzilla, & the man was filled with guilt in seeing his men lose their lives to both these abominations from the Mesozoic Era.

"All units! All units! Fall back! Whoever's still alive & receiving this message, fall back! Do it _now!_ ", Nasser issued, praying there _are_ some of his men still alive _and_ that his warning got through to them.

In all his years serving by Nasser's side, Artavaz has _never_ seen such trepidation in his commanding officer: he'd seen him brave gunfire & bombs during the Gulf War, fought off countless enemies in hand-to-hand combat & even took a bullet or two for several of his fellow soldiers, so he knew that Nasser was a very tough guy to rattle.

But seeing Godzilla & now Rodan wiping out over half his men in just a matter of hours…

That rattled him pretty good.

Thankfully, there _were_ soldiers _and_ pilots that received Nasser's message loud & clear, _and_ able to make a hasty retreat before they too could fall victim to either creature. Whatever military forces were still intact complied with the orders Nasser instructed to those who heard him, & the effects were immediate: several jets veered off as the last two met fiery deaths by Rodan, who blasted them to pieces with his uranium heat beam. The retreating pilots felt bad about leaving their comrades behind but knew there wasn't anything they could've done, lest they suffer the same fate.

It was the same for the ground forces: each one still in one piece withdrew from Godzilla before they could end up as their fallen brethren. Even though the Monster King caught them in his sights, he did not fire his weapon.

That notion became a relief for both as Godzilla resumed his present course through Khani Abad, pulverizing all buildings in his way on a path that also took him into the Sangelaj District, causing more destruction to the area.

And all that Nasser, Artavaz, their men & the local police can do is watch as Godzilla tore down the homes for its civilian populace, which were thankfully removed long before the creature arrived.

Never have they felt helpless in their lives – a situation they've _never_ been in previously.

Having no more enemies to battle, Rodan landed into & crumpled the HatterMan safety equipments store on the road of Vahdat-e-Islami Street, located right next to Shahr Park – exactly the direction where Godzilla was heading for.

Destroying the buildings in his path, Godzilla entered the very park & crushed the trees that impede his path as each one was stepped on & turned into splinters under his massive weight. The sound of them breaking was like breaking off a simple branch, & these were heard within the vicinity. Birds that nested in these trees quickly flew off to avoid the monster's wrath with a few sacrificing their young, born or unborn.

Godzilla trampled through the park until he came to a building located on the corner of Fayyazbakhsh & 30th Tir Streets, right next to the Tose'e Ta'avon Bank. General Nasser & Colonel Artavaz drove along the streets in their jeep ahead of Godzilla & stopped at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Building No. 3 on Imam Khomeini Street.

Getting to the roof, Nasser & Artavaz watched as Godzilla paused at the building a block or two away from them, which reached up to Godzilla's stomach.

Even from a distance, Godzilla was a staggering sight!

 _That's one of our science labs!_ , Nasser thought. _What could Godzilla possibly_ want _from such a place?_

That very same question entered Artavaz's mind but said nothing.

Standing over said building, Godzilla remained like a statue for several moments as klaxons blared inside which could be heard from the outside of the facility. At his temporary perch, Rodan witnessed Godzilla looking down on the building before striking the roof with his right hand & digging into the structure like a child sticking his/her hand in a candy/cookie jar. Debris rained down from inside the facility as people within screamed in surprise & scrambled so as to avoid getting crushed. Their screams could be heard even from where Nasser & Artavaz stood at.

It was something to be expected.

What came next, however, was _not_ expected by either men.

The sound of gunfire from automatic rifles.

Inside the building, men were shooting rounds like there's no tomorrow at the large right hand of Godzilla, who reached down & grabbed a handful of the items he became drawn to. One of the men shouted to stop firing their guns, lest they _all_ end up into oblivion along with the monster.

Seeing the futility of stopping Godzilla with their guns, they ceased.

When Godzilla withdrew his hand, Nasser, Artavaz & several soldiers/police saw what was in the monsters' hand – a sight which made them gasp.

Godzilla was holding a half-dozen nuclear warheads!

Now it made sense to Nasser, & the notion scared him more than the creature itself.

 _Manhattan:_

The Benice, Fleming & Sugimoto families, Stephanie, Dennis, General Ernie & Commander Shimazaki watched this revelation themselves as live news coverage continued on Godzilla & Rodan's attack on Tehran. Each one was as shocked upon seeing the truth behind it as those in Iran are.

"Nuclear warheads!", Hidemi said in her mother tongue, turning to her husband. " _That's_ the reason why he went to Iran! He knew he would find _sustenance_ there! And Rodan…"

Tajima nodded.

"Rodan obviously knew it too!", he said, also in his tongue. "Like Godzilla, he was exposed to radiation & quite possibly feeds on nuclear energy as well! And now that they've both found what they're looking for…"

"Godzilla & Rodan are about to enjoy their dinner!", Akemi & Emiko said in unison, also in their tongue.

The group keep their eyes glued to the television set along with many other patrons in the dining area.

 _Shahr Park, Tehran, Iran:_

Godzilla reached in with his left hand & grabbed another cluster of six nuclear warheads before withdrawing it & lighting up his dorsal spines, giving Nasser & everyone else a great fear that he was about to unleash his weapon & strike, causing untold devastation.

They needn't have worried: Godzilla neither lit up his mouth, let alone shot forth his heat ray in any sense. The lighting of his dorsal spines was merely to help the monster absorb the radiation emitting from the nuclear warheads he held in both his hands as he drained each one of its atomic/nuclear potential & storing it in his own body, rejuvenating his strength after the fight with Slashfang & Megaguirus, followed by assisting Mothra & her twin young back home to Infant Island.

Like the time the North Koreans & Syrians fired the nuclear weapon at him in the North Sea nearly two months ago, Godzilla was refreshed & stronger than he's ever been as he emptied the warheads dry as a bone before dropping them to the ground, where they fell apart like cheap model kits. Godzilla reached inside the building again & withdrew three more nuclear warheads, tossing one of them over to where Rodan was at.

Nasser, Artavaz & the other men gasped at Godzilla's reckless display, fearing detonation.

Again, their fears were for naught: Rodan expertly caught the warhead in his beak & began feeding on the nuclear energy contained within, his rear horns on his head & spikes on his back lighting up as he consumes his nourishment just as Godzilla does with the last two he sensed were inside the building.

Soaking up every ounce of energy the warheads contained, Godzilla & Rodan dropped the inert missiles before raising their heads & letting out a boisterous roar/cackle that was heard throughout Tehran & beyond, feeling as good as they ever did. Godzilla then demolished whatever remained of the building, pulverizing it down to its foundation.

Many people within were crushed but there were those that were able to make it out onto the streets, each one of them holding the weapons they were firing at Godzilla before grabbing a handful of nukes.

Using their binoculars, Nasser & Artavaz scour the streets where the escapees are & see a very disturbing sign: a plethora of these people were waving black & white flags with Arabic writing on each that reads 'There is no God but Allah'. In a white circle underneath in black Arabic reads 'Mohammed is the messenger of God'.

Nasser & Artavaz would recognize those flags anywhere – they belong to the terrorist group known as ISIS, the Islamic State of Iraq & Syria. Sometimes it is referred to as the Islamic State of Iraq & al-Sham/Iraq & the Levant.

But whatever it stood for, it always meant trouble & neither Nasser nor Artavaz was going to allow any further to come to their home, having had more than enough of it from Godzilla & Rodan.

"Sergeant!", Nasser says into his radio. "Arrest those people fleeing from the building immediately – _all_ of them!"

" _Yes sir! We've seen the ISIS flag as you did, & we're already rounding them up!_", came the response.

"Good work! Artavaz & I are on our way!", Nasser finished, turning to his colonel who nods.

Both men make their way down to the streets, weapons drawn.

 _On street level:_

Most of the ISIS members were caught immediately by the Iranian military & local police, but there have been a handful that eluded capture as these lucky chosen few got into their vehicles & moved out to put as much distance as possible between them, the authorities _and_ the giant monsters that invaded the country. In their rear-view mirrors, they can see Godzilla do a 180 degree turn, his tail crashing into & demolishing a portion of the Tose'e Ta'avon Bank next to him & started heading back the way he came.

All they need to do is keep a good distance from the creatures, watch out for any authorities, & they should make it out of Tehran intact to renew their plans elsewhere.

But while they're out of Godzilla's reach, Rodan was another story: having eaten his own fill of nuclear energy, the Samurai of the Skies took to his element & circled the area before making a diving attack on the escaping members of ISIS. The strong wind gusts Rodan created tossed their vehicles around like toys as the ISIS members screamed in terror before most of them ended up in fiery explosions wherever they landed, killing all within.

Two of them didn't.

Both landed in Shahr Park but at different areas: one crashed behind Godzilla as all its passengers were violently ejected upon impact, the other on a grove of flattened trees. The ISIS members that were thrown out of their vehicle were hurt all over, their bodies feeling numb like it was all one big funny bone. Landing in a single cluster, they tried getting up from the wreck but the pain was too much for them to handle.

None of them could do anything about it anyway: Godzilla's tail slammed down hard on these terrorists before they could so much as blink, hitting the earth with shattering force.

One second they were there, & the next they disappeared.

The other vehicle trapped the driver & passengers inside: no matter how hard they tried, nobody could open either of the two doors that were facing skywards when the vehicle landed on its right side. Not one could even bring their guns around to shoot out the windows to allow easy escape, & Godzilla's shadowy form was looming over them like a vengeful spirit. His footsteps outside were getting louder with each passing second, & the men within worked twice as hard at opening the doors or bashing the windows, to no avail.

A large four-toed foot loomed over their vehicle, & the ISIS members inside screamed their loudest as Godzilla literally crushed the competition underneath, causing the vehicle to explode as it gets flattened like an empty soda can.

Godzilla neither feels the blast nor acknowledges the vehicle below.

Emitting a bellowing roar, Godzilla traveled along the path of destruction he already caused as he departs Tehran, having filled his body with the sustenance he came to claim as his own.

Having gotten _his_ share, Rodan let out a cackling roar as he fled the premises & headed east once he gained an altitude of 1400 meters in the air.

The mutant Pteranodon was gone in seconds.

Nasser & Artavaz came down to street level just in time to see the remaining ISIS members rounded up & held at gunpoint by police & his own soldiers. They watched as Rodan blew away those that escaped in getaway vehicles & were crushed under Godzilla's might, with the rest dying in explosions when their rides crashed.

They turned to their prisoners & were astonished when they saw a familiar face in the crowd of ISIS members.

"Mansour?! Mansour Khebat?!", Artavaz says, his voice full of shock. "What are _you_ doing here with these ISIS devils?!"

"I think _I_ know, Artavaz!", Nasser says, his voice filled with rage as he stared at Mansour. "You were _consulting_ with ISIS for quite some time since you were discharged from the Iranian military for your reckless behavior! Using your connections, you smuggled in not only these human dogs, but also the materials needed to build your own arsenal of nuclear weapons – plutonium, uranium, tritium & the like! What's more, you _dare_ to conduct it all here in the middle of Tehran! No _wonder_ this building was deemed as private property, warning that any & all trespassers would be shot on sight! Why, Mansour?! What _ever_ gave you the decision to go against your people, your friends, your very _country_ to commit such _treason?!_ "

Mansour stared hard at Nasser & Artavaz for a full ten seconds before he answered in a cold voice.

"You can thank the _United States_ for it!"

Nasser & Artavaz eyed each other in confusion.

"We don't understand, Mansour", Nasser says. "What do _they_ have to do with it?"

" _Don't_ give me that, Nasser!", Mansour snapped. "You _know_ what I'm talking about – the nuclear deal our people made with America that went into effect only last year! It is a _sham_ on our country: we have as much right to become a nuclear power as they are! This deal is as unfair as can be, & has made a _mockery_ of our government, our people, our _way of life!_ We _should_ be in possession of nuclear weapons – for the safety & welfare of this land of ours! But no: our very president Hassan Rouhani _had_ to give in to the Americans & make a deal that forbids us to possess such weapons!"

"Our president made the _correct choice_ , Mansour!", Artavaz says. "He stated himself that the nuclear agreement is a step in the right direction of getting other nations to give ours the respect it rightly deserves! And America isn't the _only_ country this deal has been made by: the United Kingdom, Russia & Germany are all but a few of these nations that see this deal as a positive one! Why _were_ you so adamant on having our country in possession of the world's deadliest weapons anyway?!"

"What happened today is the _perfect_ example of _why_ we need them! We need to _protect ourselves_ from monsters like Godzilla & Rodan, lest we end up being destroyed!"

" _No_ , Mansour!", Nasser said. "What occurred this day is exactly why we _don't_ need nukes to protect us, _and_ why our country _needs this deal!_ You think what Godzilla & Rodan did to us today was bad?! Dropping a nuclear weapon on either of them would've been even _worse!_ Even though America & Russia are nuclear powers, _they've_ never dared to strike monsters like Godzilla with one of their nukes – they _know_ the dire consequences of doing so! Were you aware of the fact that in July, a nuclear weapon _was_ actually used on Godzilla in the North Sea by the foolish North Koreans & Syrians to try & kill him?! While they hit their target, it _didn't_ : he was only made _stronger_ by the attempt, & those idiots _paid_ for it with their _lives!_ "

"So we should simply let him & the other monsters of this planet go their own way, destroying & killing as they please & forgive them afterwards because they don't know any better?! Is that what you're saying?! I'm sorry, Nasser – that won't _cut it_ for me! Your men tried to stop Godzilla & Rodan with conventional weapons, & _failed!_ You blame Godzilla for their deaths more than you do me! At least _I_ made the attempt to _really_ do something about the creature in a more _permanent_ manner, & if _that's_ what it takes to rid the world of its greatest menace, _then so be it!_ "

Nasser, Artavaz & the rest of the men stared at Mansour in comprehension for several moments in silence.

Twelve seconds later, Nasser spoke once more in a softer but still firm tone.

"You know something, Mansour? You're right: I _do_ blame Godzilla _and_ Rodan for what happened to my men, but _them_ I can't place under arrest! You & all these ISIS _dogs_ , on the other hand…"

A small motion of Nasser's head told the men to tie the hands of Mansour & their ISIS prisoners behind their backs before standing them up on their feet. Nasser got within inches from Mansour's face, his own a display of hate & betrayal.

"You are a _traitor_ , Mansour!", he says with fire in his voice. "Dealing with enemies who'd just as soon _kill_ us as _look_ at us, endangering the lives of your fellow man, creating weapons of mass destruction in direct violation of a deal meant to bring us peace & respect, you are in a _ton_ of trouble! _I'd_ just as soon shoot you dead, but you most likely have connections to _other_ ISIS parties, & _you're_ going to _tell us_ who they are & where! If you do, then our government _might_ show something _resembling_ leniency towards you! If you _don't_ …I can simply drive ahead of Godzilla & leave you in his path where he'll _crush_ you like the insect you are!"

"You wouldn't _dare_ …", Mansour started to say.

"Oh, wouldn't I? How much are you willing to _wager_ on that?!"

Mansour looked into Nasser's eyes & he saw nothing but hurt & fury in them, the latter feeling outweighing the former easily. The rogue soldier knew right away that the Iranian general meant what he said: he _would_ place him in Godzilla's path just so he could get stepped on without a moment's hesitation, _and_ he'd make sure that Mansour could not get out of the creature's path quick enough to avoid such a horrible fate.

Seeing nothing that looked like sympathy or remorse in him, Mansour gulped in fear before he spoke in a voice which almost fell apart.

"I'll…I'll tell you everything you need to know", he says, unable to look him in the eyes any longer.

"A wise decision", Nasser said, nodding his head to his men as they haul him away.

The Iranian general turned to the local police.

"Officers", he began. "That man will be taken back to my base to stand trial. These ISIS dogs are all yours. Please put them in the filthiest, rat-infested cells you have, won't you?"

"Our pleasure, General", one officer says before police haul them into a waiting vehicle & taken to their station.

Nasser walks over to where Godzilla was still visible as Artavaz joined him.

"I _lied_ to Mansour before, you know", Nasser says.

"About what?", asked Artavaz.

"Even though they caused all this destruction & the deaths of many good men of ours, I _don't_ blame Godzilla _or_ Rodan for _any_ of it."

His answer confused Artavaz.

"Why, General?", he wondered.

"Because, old friend…", Nasser began, turning to him. "We've met monsters that are even worse than _they_ are, right here in our very own backyard. We've never _known_ it until it was almost too late."

He turned to face Godzilla again.

"But _he did_. Godzilla & even Rodan somehow _knew_ there was a threat here in Iran – in its very _capital_ – and had dealt with it accordingly while we were all but _blind_ to that hidden danger. They're _smart_ , Artavaz – smarter than we give them credit for. If only we'd known beforehand, then our men wouldn't have been…"

"General", Artavaz says. "It's not right to blame yourself: although their deaths _could_ have been avoided, those men only did their duty to protect our nation. We can't expect them to do any less for our motherland, regardless of the circumstances. When you think about it, it was _Mansour_ that caused their deaths, _not_ Godzilla _or_ Rodan."

Nasser thought about what his friend said, believing him to be correct: Mansour did a most horrible thing behind everyone's back, consulting with enemies of the country, creating weapons that can wipe out an entire city on a whim & everyone in it, & worst of all did so in the heart of Iran's capital.

Godzilla & Rodan basically _saved_ more lives than they'd claimed.

It was no different from the atomic bomb droppings on Hiroshima & Nagasaki in August of 1945; while those bombs _did_ kill tens of thousands of lives, they saved millions more in both America _and_ Japan.

Another thing Nasser can agree on: the day's scenario could've turned apocalyptic in the worst possible way, had it not been for what Godzilla & Rodan had done, finding the nuclear warheads & consuming their energy into their own bodies, leaving the missiles inert.

Ironically, they became saviors this day whether they want to admit it or not.

But Nasser wasn't ashamed to admit it, so he nods his head.

"You're correct, Artavaz", he says. "This day could've turned even _more_ disastrous than it became, but thankfully it didn't. In a sense, we should _thank_ those two for preventing our land from a series of deadly mushroom clouds, thus spreading deadly radiation that would've otherwise left our country uninhabitable for God-knows how long."

Godzilla unleashed another roar that was boisterous even from quite a distance away.

"Come, General: time to see to that traitor's due punishment", Artavaz says.

"In time", Nasser says. "First, we need to bring aide to anybody that may not have gotten out in time & are trapped beneath the debris. Let's get to it."

"Yes sir", Artavaz says, turning & heading off to start as Nasser hung back briefly to take a final look at the now-departing Godzilla, who strolls through the already demolished areas he caused.

Nasser couldn't help but to admire the beast in spite of what happened on this day.

 _I must say, Godzilla…you & Rodan are both interesting creatures_, he thought.

Smiling slightly, Nasser rushed to catch up with his colonel to begin rescue operations.

 _Manhattan:_

The television kept constant live coverage of Godzilla & Rodan's invasion of Tehran as the newscaster made his announcements as the three families & their friends watch intently.

"… _in an amazing turn of events, what could've became a horrific holocaust for Tehran & perhaps ALL of Iran has instead become nothing short of a miraculous rescue: moments ago, the creatures Godzilla & Rodan have located a facility which stored no less than 15 armed nuclear warheads – weapons of mass destruction created by the terrorist organization known as ISIS – and drained each one of their nuclear capabilities, rendering each one inert & harmless. The Iranian military & local law enforcement have all but rounded up the perpetrators & are now hauled away to be questioned. We'll have more on this development as details become available…_"

General Ernie approached Tajima while the announcement was being made.

"We can learn about those new developments at a later time, Tajima", he tells him. "Don't forget: many of us in here have a _plane_ to catch later today."

Hearing Ronald's reminder, Tajima & everyone else looked at the time on their watch or the clock upon the wall, seeing it was already in the 11:00 hour of the morning, not realizing how much time has passed since the news coverage on Godzilla began.

"That's _right_ , General – our family's due back in Tokyo today!", Emiko said.

"But our flight is at 1:00 this afternoon over at LaGuardia Airport", Akemi says. "We won't _make_ it in time."

"No worries, ladies", Stephanie said. "Since I helped arrange the flight, I can have it postponed until 2:00, giving you all enough time to gather your belongings _and_ get your animals shipped back home."

"Once again, we are in your debt, Stephanie", Hidemi says. "But we still shouldn't let unnecessary seconds go by regardless, so let's use the time we have & get ourselves ready for home."

"Good idea, Hidemi", said Elinor. "Eugene, Kristoff & Merida can tend to their steeds while _we_ pack up before heading over to LaGuardia."

"Let's get to it, everybody", Gus says, getting nods from all as they scramble to get set for home.

"You ready for more flight time, Pascal?", Rapunzel joked to her little friend, holding him in her hands.

Pascal made a little impression of feeling woozy before falling on his stomach, causing her to giggle.

"Yeah, I know…jet lag _does_ stink, doesn't it?", Rapunzel says, getting a nod from Pascal. "But don't worry: it comes & goes before you know it, so buck up! Remember where we're heading for next…"

Pascal immediately straightened up, recalling where their next stop will be, happy as a sandboy.

Rapunzel giggled as she raced to catch up with the others.

 **CHAPTER II**

 _The Sugimoto residence, Tokyo, Japan, Tuesday, September 13_ _th_ _, 5:45 p.m.:_

As the three families gather their luggage, Eugene, Kristoff & Merida get Maximus, Sven & Angus ready for the flight home by waiting for those scheduled to haul them over to LaGuardia Airport & help them get into their crates to make them comfortable for the entire trip. Plenty of apples, carrots & oats were on board to have them last the trip, with the bag containing Olaf being placed in Angus' crate.

It only happened because of the snowman's constant complaints on Sven passing too much gas at the most abrupt & inappropriate of times, saying that Angus is a more well-behaved animal.

With a roll of their eyes, Kristoff & the rest relented & granted Olaf his wish – if only to keep him quiet about it!

Being placed on a plane, the animals were on their way about 30 minutes before the rest were scheduled to depart as Eugene, Kristoff & Merida waited for the rest to arrive.

Taking her friends in a pair of limos, Stephanie & Dennis drive the three families, General Ernie & Commander Shimazaki over to the famed LaGuardia Airport – named after the famed politician Fiorello H. La Guardia in 1953 – it grew into an iconic airfield that is used by about 29.8 million passengers & counting.

On this day, it will take the Sugimoto family, Eugene & Rapunzel Benice, Elinor & Merida Fleming, along with their animals, General Ernie & Commander Shimazaki over to Tokyo, Japan while it takes Gus Fleming home over in London, England. It will be a different departure this time round: back on their final day in Paris, France, all the adults (except for Phillipe Roache, Stephanie Beatrice & Dennis) had a meeting in one of their rooms & discussed with Elsa, Rapunzel, Merida & the others of what they went over while they were performing at the Cabaret the day before Ronald was scheduled to appear. They explained that because they were people & animals out of place & time, it was decided by their adopted families they needed to see & be with each other once, maybe even twice a year for a specific time to give them _some_ distinct feeling of being in their own eras again.

But they _all_ agreed that it needs to happen each year.

And while it was good that they've been with each other for their trips to Moscow, Russia _and_ Paris, France, both were on business unlike their trip to Manhattan sans the 9/11 tribute concert.

Tajima, Gus, Nathan & their wives added that it would be good for them in doing so.

Akemi & Emiko put in that after Manhattan, they'd have them stay over at their house in Tokyo, saying it would be no trouble at all. It was also agreed that Elinor joined them, since she herself is _also_ a person out of place & time.

Following a brief consulting with each other, the groups formerly of 10th Century Scotland & 1788 Arendelle & Corona agreed to do it.

Thus, to Tokyo they shall arrive – on a trip that has nothing to do with business.

Elinor kissed Gus farewell, saying he'll be on her mind all the time while she's gone, with him doing the same of his wife from over 1,000 years past. Rapunzel & Eugene did the same with Nathan & Patricia, saying that they'll be missed greatly. The Benice husband & wife stated that they'll be together again for Christmas, or possibly even sooner for Thanksgiving.

Both stated that they could hardly wait, getting grins, kisses, hugs & handshakes from their adoptive parents.

Gus wished everyone well right before the announcement was made that the flight for Tokyo, Japan was now to commence boarding. The Sugimoto family, Eugene, Rapunzel, Elinor, Merida, Ronald & Yoshi said their farewells to Gus, Patricia, Nathan, Stephanie & Dennis, thanking them for everything before getting aboard their flight.

Like Stephanie said, the plane lifted off at 2:00, heading west.

An hour later, it was Gus Fleming's turn to depart, heading east.

The flight to Tokyo took a good 13 hours & 45 minutes before touching down at Haneda Airport in the district of Ota. During the flight, everyone decided to rest for the duration & woke only for meals being served. When it's been announced that they were approaching Japan's capital, Tajima & his family got the rest up & persuaded Elinor, Merida, Eugene & Rapunzel to look out the window.

Doing so, the four were astonished by the sight of Tokyo, even though they've seen it only once before.

The Sugimoto family & Yoshi gladly announced 'welcome back to Tokyo!' to them with big grins.

Ronald did so himself with a slight chuckle, amused by their reactions.

For Kristoff, Anna & Elsa, it was reminiscent of _their_ first time in Tokyo back in late November 2013 after being thawed out in Norway & reawakening into the 21st Century.

Once on the ground, the group gathered their luggage & headed for the bullet train station to catch the one that will take them closest to the Nanasawa area before hailing a pair of taxis to get them the rest of the way. While the city was still in somewhat of a mess since Godzilla's rampage on New Year's Day 2015, a good portion of it was repaired, with roadways/railways operating in perfect working order.

Arriving at their destination fifteen minutes before 6:00, everyone departed from their rides & collected all their luggage as General Ernie & Hidemi offered the drivers their fare, along with a generous tip for their services. Maximus, Sven & Angus were already waiting for them in the driveway as they were greeted by owners & friends alike.

Nodding their appreciation with big smiles, the taxi drivers wished them all well & took off.

Once the taxis were gone, it became safe for their final member of the caravan to show himself.

"Now that we're home, it's time to get you-know-who out of the bag", said Elinor.

"Already taken care of, Elinor", Olaf said as he appeared from out of hiding behind the house.

His appearance was a surprise to the group.

"Olaf?", said Yoshi. "How _did_ you get out of the bag without us opening it for you first?"

"Simple, Yoshi: I just used my stick hand", the snowman replied, waving one of his arms. "It's a trick I learned when we were going from Paris to New York. Figured it'd help to save _you_ guys the trouble of having to open it for me whenever we go traveling. Pretty neat, huh?"

Olaf giggled as the group still looked on, stunned.

"That… _is_ pretty neat, I have to say", Kristoff says, staring at Eugene.

"It's probably what _I_ would've done during my Flynn Rider days", Eugene says with his stylish grin.

The ladies & even Ronald giggled/chuckled at the scenario.

"Pretty ingenious there, Frosty!", Ronald says. "You _have_ been learning quite a lot since reappearing in this era, haven't you? I might consider you on some _covert_ operations, if a need ever arose!"

"Sir, yes _sir!_ ", Olaf said, standing at attention & saluted.

The ladies giggled at the snowman's antics, while Tajima, Yoshi & Ronald grinned amusingly.

Kristoff & Eugene smiled sheepishly & shook their heads in mock sympathy.

Pascal, Maximus & Sven simply gave a low grunt as Angus stayed quiet.

"At ease, soldier", Ronald says as Olaf placed his hands behind his back & smiled.

The sound of an approaching vehicle caused for the group to go on alert, as it sounded like it was slowing down to pull in or next to the house.

" _Quick_ , Olaf! Get behind the house before you get…spotted", Akemi started to say, only to find Olaf out of sight when she turned to him.

"That's…pretty quick", Emiko adds as her sister nodded.

Their hunch was correct: a vehicle _did_ slow down _and_ it pulled itself into the driveway before stopping eight feet from the group. The front doors of this vehicle – a sandy-colored SUV with tinted windows – opened to reveal a young man & woman who looked to be in their early 20s as they stepped out & closed the doors. Both had a medium-brown skin tone, with the man having a head of curly black hair that reached past his ears. He stood 5 feet, 11 inches tall with brown eyes & was attired in blue jeans, white sneakers & dress shirt. The woman was one inch shorter, but _her_ curly black hair was longer & reached past her shoulders like Merida's. She too had brown eyes, & was attired in blue shoes, green jeans & yellow dress shirt.

Nobody knew what to expect of these two newcomers, but for some reason neither Maximus, Sven nor Angus got any bad vibes from either of them: if they did, they'd already be bearing their teeth & making noises of suspicion.

In fact, they sensed a deep need in them, which seemed visible on their faces.

Tajima puts that to the test as he took a few steps forward.

"Um, good evening, folks. Can we help you?", he asked.

"We're really hoping you _can_ , professor Sugimoto", said the man. "It's why we came here in the first place."

"We're _also_ hoping that Queen Elsa here can help us as well", said the woman. "We have a strong feeling we'll be needing _her_ assistance."

The woman's answer shocked Elsa & the rest, especially when she called her 'queen' right in front of her.

"You…you both _know_ who Elsa is, & what she can do?", Rapunzel asked.

Both newcomers nodded wordlessly.

"We're also aware of who _you_ are & what _you're_ capable of…Princess Rapunzel", said the man.

More shock course through the bodies of the Sugimoto family & their friends.

"Olaf…you can come on out", Anna says, addressing the snowman. "No sense in concealing yourself _this_ time."

Said snowman walked out from behind the house & approached the newcomers, who look at him like they see a walking, talking snowman every day, showing no signs of amazement on their faces.

Olaf simply smiled & greeted them.

"Hello, strangers! I'm Olaf, & I like warm…", he began to say, extending his arms.

"Not _now_ , Olaf!", Elsa & Merida said firmly, ceasing him in mid-sentence.

"Who exactly _are_ you people, & how come you _know_ so much about Elsa & Rapunzel here?", Merida asked.

"My name is Maui", said the man.

"And mine is Moana", said the woman. "As for knowing who Elsa, Rapunzel & the rest of you are, we've _always_ known for quite some time. We just respected you incognito."

Something was nagging at Elinor, & she makes her thoughts known.

"Maui & Moana", she says. "I've _heard_ of them at one point or another during my days as Queen of DunBroch. Weren't they a pair of… _voyagers_ back in their day?"

"They once _were_ , Queen Elinor…about 3,000 years ago", said Maui.

The group eye one another, more confused than ever.

"Why don't we all head inside?", Hidemi suggests. "You two can tell us all about it from the beginning. Plus, you must be somewhat hungry from making your way here, so I'll prepare a little nourishment while you do so."

"Thank you most kindly, Miss Sugimoto", Moana said as they all make their way inside the family residence.

This plot was becoming thicker by the moment.

 _8:00 p.m.:_

Like Hidemi guessed, Maui & Moana _were_ rather famished on their journey to the Sugimoto residence, & enjoyed a good meal of some leftovers they had in the fridge before heading for Manhattan. A tray of fresh shrimp for a simple snack was also added in case anyone felt like having more nourishment, even though the rest ate after getting off the plane at Haneda Airport.

As promised, Maui & Moana gave everyone the lowdown on everything from the beginning: they started that the family tree of theirs started began 30 centuries previously, retelling the story of when Moana set sail to restore the heart of Te Fiti, which was stolen by Maui a millennium earlier. They went over each detail of their adventure together, from meeting each other on an island where Maui was exiled on, the fight with the Kakamora pirates, facing the crab monster Tamatoa in Lalotai, right up to when Moana succeeded in her task of restoring the heart & transforming Te Ka into who she was before. They followed it up with the adventure involving when the Motunui tribe made a pact with those from Infant Island, meeting the Shobijin & Mothra for the first time, learning about the monsters they encountered from the birth of Battra & the first appearance of the fire bird Manu Ahi to the benevolent gorilla beast Blizzard, of whom froze both Tamatoa & Kiapolo (Maui's ex-girlfriend), & ending up frozen just before he expired & was buried at the North Pole.

The happy ending to _that_ story was that Moana & Maui married three years later.

Both of them continued telling a few other stories until they came to when they'd witnessed a group of unknown people obtaining a large block of ice – one that contained the crab creature Tamatoa – before they disappeared to areas unknown.

Everybody stayed silent for all information of what Maui & Moana relayed to them get processed.

Tajima, Hidemi, Akemi, Emiko & Yoshi went into the kitchen, leaving the others in the den to consult with each other while they do so themselves in their own language.

"The stories of Elsa, Rapunzel & Merida from their original times before arriving here were astonishing enough, but the ones Maui & Moana just told us are even _more_ mind-boggling!", Emiko said.

"In more ways than one, Emiko!", Akemi said. "Not only have we learned that monsters such as Titanosaurus & Manda were on the Earth even longer than from Merida & Elinor's era, but also that Battra was created from the Earth itself in order to defeat Te Ka & other dangers she summoned, up to & including the horrible creature known as Hedorah, the very same creature that attacked Japan when we were very young! I get chills when I recall it even now!"

"I remember that time just as you & your family do, Akemi!", Yoshi said. "I was but a mere private when Hedorah emerged to terrorize our country: his toxic fumes were so deadly, even _Godzilla_ was affected! In fact, he was _incapable_ of defeating Hedorah until Tajima intervened with giant electrodes that helped turn the tide & enabled Godzilla to win over it! _Never_ would I believe this horrible creature was first spawned by an ancient entity from 3,000 years ago!"

"And there's no way of knowing if _that_ Hedorah & the one _we_ faced are one & the same!", Hidemi said. "But we _do_ know that the Manu Ahi creature that attacked Honolulu, Hawaii during the Benice's concert this past April _is_ that very same one! The ferocity it showed in Hawaii's capital leaves no doubt how vicious it was when summoned by the devil woman they called Kiapolo! No _wonder_ Manda guarded it closely when it was still an orb! However, I have to say that the most _unbelievable_ story they relayed to us was what occurred some time _after_ Maui & Moana got married!"

"I was just thinking of that myself, Hidemi" said Tajima. "Maui & Moana were on their way back from a year-long honeymoon to a welcoming committee by both Infant Island _and_ Motunui when they came home only to witness a nightmare – Moana's island home under attack by hostile forces from space that came to take Earth as their own. Both groups of islanders fought fiercely against the invaders, but many of them were killed almost as quickly as they could strike too big a blow, even _with_ the timely arrival of the demigod. The invaders even sent in a pair of monsters to aide them in their quest: one was a large mutated crocodile measuring 80 meters long with spikes along her back & tail end. This creature they named Lizzie, & she was as ferocious as she was gigantic. The _other_ creature the aliens dispatched for their plans was none other than…"

"King Ghidorah!", Hidemi, Akemi, Emiko & Yoshi say in unison as Tajima nodded before continuing.

" _His_ revelation surprised _me_ as much as it did anyone else: these aliens brought King Ghidorah to Earth for the first time, unleashing havoc on Motunui & destroying nearly 2/3rds of their home. Hope seemed lost until help came in the forms of Battra, Mothra, Titanosaurus & Manda: Battra took on the spaceship itself, while Mothra attended to King Ghidorah. In the water, Titanosaurus & Manda confronted Lizzie in a vicious struggle that churned the water white & red with blood. Valiantly as they fought, however, Battra & Mothra were outmatched as the ship _and_ King Ghidorah were more than powerful enough to take on both grudging allies. The situation would've been deemed hopeless…until Maui decided to take matters into his own hands. Despite Moana's protests, Maui kissed his wife before using his magic fishhook to transform himself into a large 60-meter tall dragon, with wings capable of flight & the ability to spit high intensity blue fire from his mouth. Maui took on King Ghidorah himself, leaving Mothra free to assist Battra in striking the mothership. The three-way battle was tough: Titanosaurus & Manda received multiple wounds from Lizzie, but the duo managed to overcome the crocodile creature when the gargantuan snake wrapped himself around Lizzie's neck & put as much pressure on it as he could. Even though she still fought, Lizzie was defeated when Titanosaurus pulled out one of Lizzie's tusks from her upper jaw & rammed it into her eye, killing her instantly. The battle between the ship & King Ghidorah was even _more_ dramatic: valiantly as they fought, neither could be brought down easily. The mothership was heavily armed that kept even Mothra & Battra on their toes, while Maui & King Ghidorah fought to a standstill, as neither gained an advantage over the other. Even by using his full strength, Maui couldn't slow down, much less halt, the Triple-Domed Terror's rampage, & it started taking its toll on his energy. Thinking fast, Maui brought his enemy over to the mothership & collided him with it, jarring the crew within. Using the time he had, Maui summoned every ounce of power he possessed into a single strike that would either destroy both enemies, or at the very least get them off the planet. Catching on to his plan, Mothra & Battra lend Maui their _own_ power, amplifying his. With a blow that was all but felt for miles, the mothership was all but destroyed & sent King Ghidorah tumbling through space, sparing the Earth further devastation. But…having never absorbed or even used such tremendous amounts of power previously, Maui was all but exhausted from his ordeal & fell to Earth. Mothra managed to slow his fall before he could strike the ground as Moana & the rest ran to him, his power/energy spent & his fishhook broken in two. Taking his hand, Moana begged & pleaded for her husband to be okay & rebuild their home, but sadly, it was not meant to be: Maui lived long enough only to tell his wife he loved her & to take care of their 'special gift' before he slumped to the earth & died. Despite being comforted by her good friend Dayo, Moana cried her heart out for her husband as the tribes from Motunui & Infant Island mourned the demigod after making his final heroic deed & saved the planet. A funeral was held on Motunui days later for Maui & all those that fell during the battle, placing their bodies on boats & setting them ablaze before being pushed out to sea. Amazingly, Titanosaurus & Manda were present, wanting to pay their _own_ respects despite the snake's troubled past with the demigod, having swiped the orb containing Manu Ahi the previous year. The 'special gift' Maui left Moana was a child she conceived & gave birth to a month later – a son, of whom she named after her husband. Moana's parents – Sina & Chief Tui – _also_ gave birth to another child. It was a girl, & they named her after their very daughter that restored Te Fiti's heart. And thus…"

"I get it now, papa", Emiko says. "Since the day they gave birth to young Maui _and_ Moana, their family has made the strong commitment to name at least _one_ of their sons/daughters each those very names in order to keep both of their legacies alive from that moment on – a family tradition that lasts to this very day!"

"Exactly, Emiko."

The five Japanese people say nothing else as they each ponder their thoughts & listen in on the discussion going on in the den.

"So then, unlike us…", Elinor says, indicating everyone in the room except for Ronald. "Who have either been swept through time or placed in suspended animation & reawakened here in _this_ era, the two of you are _not_ the original Maui & Moana, but rather, their living _descendants_."

"With a family history that's lasted for nearly 3,000 years", Maui said. "You're correct, Elinor. In all that time, each one of our generations created a history of being voyagers/explorers, discovering new lands & studying their very cultures. It's one of the reasons as to why we knew about events that happened in both Elsa & Rapunzel's kingdoms as well as your own. Whatever our family discovered, we wrote it down for prosperity for the _next_ generation to pick up on & learn from."

"And that's how you both learned that we still existed here in _this_ day & age?", asked Merida.

"Exactly, Merida", Moana said. "Like I said before, we've kept your re-emergence into the modern-day world to ourselves, not wanting any of you to be mobbed by countless people, namely newshounds or even paparazzi. Having it known that a woman who can emit snow/ice on a whim or even heal wounds with her own hair exists in the world _will_ cause more than a few headaches. Eugene & Rapunzel get enough of that as performers without knowing of her 'special talent'."

The husband & wife team share a smile briefly.

"Actually, you'd be amazed at how much _space_ the people give us wherever we go, same with Patricia & Nathan", Eugene says. "They're more humane & generous than you might realize, but still…"

"We _are_ grateful to you both for keeping our 'true nature' a secret from the general populace", Rapunzel put in. "So…your family has thrived into the exploring business, in keeping pace with your ancestors?"

"More or less", Maui & Moana say.

"Wow…a pair of real-life Indiana Jones'!", Olaf said with enthusiasm & a big smile. "Tell me: have either one of you found the Ark of the Covenant or even the Holy Grail, by any chance?"

Most in the group chuckled amusingly at the snowman's joke, but Kristoff buried his head in his hand & shook it, embarrassed. Anna patted him on the back, indicating it was all right.

"Sorry, little guy", Maui said with a grin. "No dice on either count."

"But you _are_ right about us being somewhat in par with one of Harrison Ford's most famous film roles!", Moana says, smiling.

"Dice? How do _they_ fit into all this?", Olaf wondered.

"It's an expression!", they all say simultaneously.

Olaf nodded in agreement, even if he still didn't get the full gesture of it.

 _You_ still _have a lot to learn, Frosty_ , thought Ronald.

"So, this 'Tamatoa' you two spoke of…what kind of crab species _is_ he, anyway?", Ronald asked, getting back to cases.

"Coconut", Maui & Moana said in unison.

The General took a moment to give the matter thought before answering.

"Coconut crabs are usually people-shy & keep their distance from them, but like most animals, they _will_ attack with their claws if backed into a corner and/or provoked into a conflict. Their claws are so strong, they'll keep a solid grip on a person for an extended period of time. And although their diet consists mostly of fruits, seeds & the like, they _have_ been known to feed upon carcasses of dead animals & even live ones, such as tortoise hatchlings. Some were even witnessed to capturing & consuming prey such as Polynesian rats & even a red-footed booby seabird."

" _That_ should give you all a _very_ clear idea on how extremely _dangerous_ Tamatoa is, General Ernie", said Maui. "God forbid, if he ever makes his way topside in a major metropolitan area like Las Vegas, Berlin, Sydney or anywhere in the world, there's no telling _how_ much carnage he'll create. And because coconut crabs are skilled climbers, think of what he can do on tall buildings. We get chills just _thinking_ about it."

"I'm surprised he hasn't done that _already_ ", said Anna. "But we shouldn't consider, not even for a moment, that Tamatoa _won't_ make the attempt."

"I agree, Anna", Elsa said, facing Maui & Moana. "And from the time you witnessed Tamatoa being removed from his prison at the North Pole, neither of you have seen him since?"

Both of them shook their heads.

"For more than a year-&-a-half, despite our frantic searches, neither Maui nor myself have even the slightest clue on where Tamatoa could be right now", Moana said. "That's why we came here to see Tajima: with _his_ resources over at his self-named company, Maui & I are hoping _he'd_ have much better luck at getting an exact fix on his location. Not to mention _you_ , Elsa: of what we learned on you having been made as a member of the Mechagodzilla crew & all, along with a strong connection to General Ernie _and_ Commander Shimazaki here, the more resources we have, the better our chances of accomplishing our task."

"We'd _really_ hate in having to ask for your help on this matter, but Moana & I are literally at the end of our rope on this", Maui said. "If only we had more of our own resources at our disposal, we'd still be out there searching."

"What exactly _happened_ to the rest of your resources, Maui?", Kristoff asked.

"When Manu Ahi destroyed the top of the Maui Enterprises building in Honolulu, the flaming pieces struck the base of the building & set it ablaze, burning everything within. Sadly, it also included personnel that were trapped inside who couldn't get out in time. The incident left us without too much to go on, limiting our options. Once we ran out of them, you folks became our only one left."

The room became quiet as the group contemplated on everything, part of their hearts heavy for those that couldn't escape Manu Ahi's reign of destruction in time in April. Each of them can relate to Maui & Moana's feelings about Tamatoa: they've _all_ contended with enemies in the past that were just as diabolical as the giant coconut crab.

Mor'du, Asarlai, Mother Gothel, Prince Hans & the Duke of Weselton were prime examples of villainy at some of its worst – and that's not counting the enemies they've faced in the present.

"Even though Yoshi & I still have that operation in North Korea to contend with, I believe we might be able to spare a few personnel to try & hunt that monster crab for you", General Ernie said, breaking the silence.

"And _I'll_ see if _my_ company can also be of assistance in your endeavor, Maui, Moana", Tajima said as he, his wife & daughters & Yoshi enter the room. "A creature as devious as Tamatoa shouldn't be allowed to exist in the world anywhere."

"In the meantime, won't you two stay as our honored guests?", Hidemi says.

Maui & Moana stare at each other briefly.

"You sure we wouldn't be a bother, Miss Sugimoto?", the latter asked. "Maui & I _do_ still have a room reserved at a nearby hotel, & we wouldn't want to _intrude_ or anything…"

"Not at all", Akemi said. "We have more than enough room for everybody, now that our house got a renovation last year after the Yakuza tore it up. You'll be able to sleep comfortably with room to spare."

"And tomorrow, we'll take everybody over to our papa's company & ask _them_ to lend their talents in finding this creature", Emiko adds. "With their resources combined, we could get a lucky break."

"It _would_ be nice to finally see inside Tajima's self-named company after all this time", Anna said.

"Yes, Anna", Elsa said. "Since being taken in almost three years ago, we've been keeping ourselves busy learning about the new world we've awoken into that it never crossed our minds to see Tajima's workplace."

"And not that _we_ three might be running it one day, but…I too agree that it's way past time we got a good look at it from both outside _and_ within", Kristoff said.

"I say we put it to a vote!", Eugene says. "All in favor?"

Mostly everyone raised their hands in agreement.

That included Olaf, as he & Pascal put up a stick hand & scaly paw.

"Sorry, Olaf… _not_ you", said everyone as a group, causing the snowman to pout & cross his arms.

" _That's_ not fair", Olaf said softly as Pascal patted him in mock comfort.

Snickers of amusement came from each.

"We'll show you a couple photos of what it looks like, Olaf", Tajima said. "This way, it won't be a _total_ loss on your part."

"I can deal with that!", Olaf said, getting perked up instantly with a smile.

"Better call the hotel & tell them we won't be needing the room for our final night", Moana told her partner.

"Why don't _you_ handle that while _I_ get our stuff from the car?", Maui said as she nods, getting her cell phone out as he heads for their ride in the driveway.

"Yoshi, General…we'll also have a bed for each of _you_ to rest on so that in the morning…", Hidemi started to say.

"Oh, don't even bother, Hidemi", Ronald says kindly. "Yoshi & I can simply sleep on the couch. It'll be just like sleeping on the bunks over at the base, which we're pretty much used to."

"But we're still grateful for your hospitality nonetheless, Hidemi", Yoshi says. "Like the rest of you, Ronald & I _are_ feeling rather exhausted, & considering we've still got some leftover jet lag from our long flight, driving should be out of the question – at least until morning."

"Why don't we all retire for the evening in order to get a fresh start at sunrise, not to mention _feel_ refreshed by then?", Merida suggests.

Looking out of the glass door & seeing that the sun has disappeared completely, it sounded most inviting.

It _also_ sounded like the right thing to do.

"Suggestion noted, Merida", Elinor says, facing the group. "I do believe a good night's sleep is in order, & come sunrise, Hidemi & I shall make a hearty breakfast ready & waiting for you all by the time you get up."

Elinor looks directly at Ronald & Yoshi with a facial expression that's half smirk & half 'the look'.

"And _nobody_ goes _anywhere_ before _breakfast_ ", she says.

Ronald & Yoshi chuckle with a grin.

"Yes ma'am!", they said, half joking.

Elinor chuckled herself before everyone turned in for the night.

 _Beneath the Earth's surface:_

Even as he slept peacefully in his chamber, Slashfang was still reckless: the physical pain he received in Paris by Anguirus, Baragon, Mothra & Godzilla was all but gone, but the _emotional_ anguish still remained. The saber-toothed creature can still recall every piece of agony inflicted upon him by the quartet of monsters during their rampage in the City of Love over one month ago. It fueled his hatred for each one of them, & vows to dish out what he received from them, ten times over.

From the control console, the scientists watching over his vitals notice a spark of activity as it began rising up in intensity. One of them ordered another dose of sedative to calm the creature before things get a little too hairy. Wasting no time, they inject it into Slashfang as the monster started to growl in rage for a minute or two before becoming calm once more, relaxing the scientists.

When they check his readings again, they were satisfied to see them at a reasonable level.

Slashfang was calm & collective.

But soon, he knew, he would mete out his vengeance against those that did him great bodily harm.

For now, he will have to wait as he receives medicine, food _and_ an upgrade.

They were only just over a month away from completion.

 **CHAPTER III**

 _Sugimoto Science & Tech Center, Minami Ward, Yokohama, Wednesday, September 14_ _th_ _, 10:00 a.m.:_

Just as Elinor proclaimed, she & Hidemi were up shortly after the sunrise to prepare breakfast for everyone. Only Merida was up at the same time they were, giving herself & Angus their daily morning workout through the forest they lived within, practicing with her bow & arrows to keep her skills sharp. She did so for one hour before heading back to the house & fed Angus as Eugene & Kristoff did so with Maximus & Sven, then entered inside to see the rest already up & at the table, enjoying servings of pancakes, eggs, pieces of fish & fruits on the side. Merida helped herself to a serving of each & took a seat next to Elsa. Eugene did so next to Rapunzel, & Kristoff to Anna.

Once again, Elinor had to remind her daughter of 'having weapons on the table'.

Rolling her eyes, Merida removed them as everyone chuckled amusingly.

General Ernie told Merida that even though the soldiers keep their weapons in their holsters when they eat, they'd _never_ leave them on the table.

Merida gave him her own version of 'the look' before quoting 'rub it in, why don'cha?'.

Ronald, Yoshi & the rest laughed before Merida chuckled.

When it became time, Ronald & Yoshi thanked Hidemi & Elinor for a marvelous breakfast before everyone else did the same & got ready to begin their day's activities. Taking both the SUV Maui & Moana arrived in & one of their own, the Sugimoto family drove everyone into the city: Tajima drove Maui & Moana's vehicle with Yoshi, Ronald _and_ Maui inside as Hidemi took one of theirs with most of the ladies; Eugene, Rapunzel & Pascal rode on Maximus, while Kristoff & Anna did so on Sven, & Merida/Elsa on Angus.

Olaf wished them well as they took off, with them doing the same before the snowman went back inside.

He would spend _his_ day with the video game console.

Yoshi told the group to drop him & Ronald off at the nearest taxi stop before making their way to Tajima's workplace.

Agreeing, they did exactly that & wished both men well as they took off for the Minami Ward area in Yokohama.

Upon arrival, the group were presented with a building that was five stories high & measured two blocks wide. It was placed between the Shimizu Bridge Maita Park, with the Ooka River on the north of it. The parking lot was on the south side of the building, offering shade from the sun as the three steeds could stay & remain cool. Everyone that Tajima's family took was very impressed by the size of the building, being their first time laying eyes upon it.

The scientist said they haven't seen anything yet.

As Maximus, Sven & Angus stay by their vehicles, the group were lead inside to the front office where several female secretaries greeted Tajima & his party a good morning like they always do.

Each of them were surprised but no less joyed to see he wasn't alone.

Wishing them all a good day, the secretaries resumed with their work as Tajima & company reached the elevator.

They reached the top fifth floor that was a cacophony of activity in every room, people working at their stations & putting in every effort to the best of their abilities. Those that caught a glimpse of Tajima greeted him quickly before returning to work as the scientist returned the gesture. Eugene, Kristoff, Maui, Elinor, Anna, Elsa, Rapunzel, Merida, Moana & even Pascal were astonished by what they were witnessing, especially for their first tour of the place.

Impressive as it is, none of them could ever see themselves taking a job here, for reasons more than most of them were people being out of time.

"Quite a shindig of a workplace you have here, Tajima!", Kristoff says. "We should've visited it sooner!"

" _I'll_ say!", Anna said. "This place is so big, I feel like I need to leave a _trail_ of some kind so that I don't get _lost_ anywhere!"

Tajima, his wife & daughters chuckled at Anna's little joke.

"You should've seen how _we_ reacted during _our_ first tour here in this place, Anna!", Hidemi said. "The girls & I actually _did_ get lost & we wandered for over an hour until one of the scientists helped us find our way back!"

The group was astonished by this piece of info.

"No doubt you & the girls were _scared_ when you've gotten lost that first time!", Elinor said.

"A little bit", Akemi said.

A look of doubt from everyone made the girls reconsider their answer.

"Okay, a lot!", Emiko says.

Another shared chuckle from all erupted before they continued down the hall to an office at the end where a man in his 40s worked at his desk. He was attired in his white lab coat, black pants & shoes, white dress shirt & blue tie. His face had a small beard that was neatly trimmed, a groomed set of black hair on his head & a pair of rounded bifocals over his eyes.

Tajima knocked on the door to get the man's attention, smiling to see who it was.

"Tajima!", he said, rising from his seat & walking towards him.

"Good morning, Akihiko!", Tajima said in his tongue with a grin as both men shook hands. "Always a pleasure to see you!"

"Same back to you, boss!"

Akihiko notices that his boss didn't come alone on this day, eyeing his wife & daughters first.

"Hidemi!", he says, approaching & examining her. "How good to see you too after some time! I must say: you don't look a _day_ over 20 even now! Now I see _why_ Tajima married you: you must've discovered the Fountain of Youth in order to stay so young & beautiful like this!"

"You _flatter_ me, sir!", Hidemi says, giggling amusingly.

He then faced the daughters.

"Akemi! Emiko! Last time I saw you both, you were no more than little children! _Look_ at how the two of you have _grown!_ "

Both daughters smiled at Akihiko in good faith before the scientist took notice of the rest.

Elinor & the rest bow in the traditional Japanese manner, greeting the man & impressing him with their gesture.

"Ah, these must be the new gaijin family members you mentioned, yes?", Akihiko wondered.

Tajima, Hidemi, Akemi & Emiko giggled slightly.

"Only _these_ three are said people, Akihiko", Emiko says, gesturing to the Arendelle trio. "We'd like for you to meet & say hello to Kristoff, Anna & Elsa."

"Ohayo gozaimasu", the Arendelle trio say in unison, impressing Akihiko.

"Pretty good!", Akihiko says. "Not only are they well-mannered, they can speak our language!"

"Only a couple words/phrases, but they're learning", Akemi said. "The rest of these people are good friends of ours: Elinor & Merida Fleming, Eugene & Rapunzel Benice, & these two are Maui & Moana."

As Akihiko approached the gaijin group, Pascal leaped onto his shoulder & crawled around from one side to the other, getting giggles from everyone. The scientist was surprised but found it _and_ the little chameleon amusing, & thus he giggled too before holding Pascal in his hands.

"And what's _your_ name, my feisty little friend?", Akihiko asked him.

"Pascal", Tajima, Hidemi, Akemi & Emiko say.

"Pascal must see you as a friendly entity, Akihiko", says Emiko. "He has a natural talent of knowing if a person is good or bad."

"Many animals have a basic instinct of sensing if another life form will become a threat to them, Emiko", Akihiko says. "It's one reason why they stay alive out in the wilderness from predators that wish to eat them."

Despite the conversation being in Japanese, the group can feel the warm vibes emerging from the scenario.

Pascal gets back onto Rapunzel's shoulder as Akemi spoke.

"But while we're all glad to see you again, Akihiko, _and_ that we can introduce you to our three extended family members & some of their friends, I'm afraid our papa has some things to discuss with you – things that are urgent."

"That's right, Akemi", Tajima says. "Hidemi, won't you & the girls take everyone over to the cafeteria while I explain our dilemma to Akihiko?"

Hidemi & her daughters nodded, turning to the group.

"Let's head downstairs so that my husband can attend to business, shall we?", Hidemi says. "He'll likely give us an update in about an hour's time or so."

Not wishing to interfere in his work, they agreed & follow Hidemi & her daughters back to the elevators to head downstairs as Tajima lead his most trusted assistant & second-in-command of his company into his office.

In complete privacy, Tajima wasted no time in relaying the information but doing so in a professional manner – one Akihiko would find convincing.

"Tamatoa? Never heard of it until just now", Akihiko says.

"It's the name of a legend from many years ago", Tajima explains. "Tamatoa was a large coconut crab who loved causing mischief of any & all kinds. According to the legend, he was in combat against a large gorilla-like beast called Blizzard, which had the ability to project ice on a whim. During their fight, Blizzard & Tamatoa fought until the former had trapped him in a sheet of ice just before he died from a fatal would inflicted upon him by his enemy. Both had been taken over to the North Pole & given proper burials, where Tamatoa remained at – until recently."

"You believe somebody may have uncovered & are attempting to thaw him out?"

"Those two my daughter Akemi introduced to you before, Maui & Moana? _They're_ the ones who witnessed the crab's removal from his resting place before losing them out at sea. For more than a year, they've tried searching for his whereabouts, but had no luck. And with their own resources depleted, it's the reason why I'm asking you & your staff to pick up where they left off."

"And this Tamatoa…he's as dangerous as those two claim?"

"He's a _very_ aggressive, deadly & violent creature, yes. Just _think_ of the devastation he could cause in a city like Tokyo or anywhere else if he got turned loose in it."

The room was silent as Akihiko pondered the information Tajima handed him. Being a man of science, Akihiko would always need solid proof before going into action on anything, but he suddenly remembers people saying long ago that _Godzilla_ was simply a legend, when it turned out he was as real as the dinosaurs which he once ruled the Earth with during the Mesozoic Era.

Since then, people have learned not to take anything so farfetched for granted.

 _Every legend_ does _have a basis of truth_ , Akihiko thought.

"I suppose we shouldn't leave anything of that magnitude to chance, Tajima", he said finally. "So then…how do you wish to proceed?"

Tajima went over the details with his trusted assistant.

He spared none of them.

 _The cafeteria, first floor:_

Over an hour passed since the group arrived in the eatery of the science/tech building. Although they've eaten a good breakfast, they still enjoyed a little snack while they waited & consulted with each other, waiting upon word for Tajima's results with Akihiko.

It was said that waiting was the hardest part of anything, & this was no different: wondering when Tajima would return with answers was killer. Each minute felt like an eternity.

But it was the roughest for Maui & Moana, as this ordeal basically had their names written all over it.

"Try not to get _too_ worried over this, you guys", said Rapunzel. "Tajima will use whatever he has at his disposal to find 'him' before things can get ugly."

"She's right", Anna adds. "And don't forget: General Ernie & Yoshi are _also_ going to look into finding Tamatoa soon as they can. Please don't lose hope, okay?"

"Believe me when I say that it isn't because we don't think you'll do everything in your power to help us, & we _are_ grateful for it, don't get us wrong", Maui says. "The thing that's _really_ worrying us is…"

Moana picked up on her partner's statement.

"In all the time Tamatoa's been freed by those men, he could've chosen to appear anywhere in the world at any given time, but _didn't_. It's made us wonder: what's he _waiting_ for? What's he _planning_ on?"

"Maybe there's a chance that Tamatoa didn't _survive_ when Blizzard froze him all those years ago", Elinor said. "For all we know, those men could have nothing but a giant _corpse_ at their door."

The group looked at each other, wondering if Elinor could be correct.

"Wishful thinking, Elinor, but…I _really_ wouldn't wager any money on that", Eugene said.

"Neither would I, Mum", Merida says. "If Sven, Kristoff, Anna _and_ Elsa here could all be thawed out of an icy imprisonment after 225 years, I see no reason why Tamatoa couldn't do the same – even after nearly _3,000_ years."

"Therefore, we _must_ assume that he's still alive, Elinor", Elsa adds. "But believe me: like everybody else here, I _do_ wish that it could be otherwise."

"We'll know in good time, Elsa", Tajima said as he entered the room, urging the group to rise from their seats & approached the scientist. Eager as they were for an answer, they gave him space.

"So…what did Akihiko say, Tajima? Will he do it?", Kristoff asked.

"Even though he's keeping people busy on tracing that new mutagen back to where it came from, he'll certainly use whatever's at his disposal in searching for Tamatoa", he said, giving some relief to all.

It wasn't as much as they'd hoped, but it was a start.

"Speaking _of_ the mutagen sample we got from the creature called Slashfang back in Paris, papa, have there been any new developments on where it came from, or even who might have upgraded it?", Emiko asked in English.

Tajima exhaled a sigh before speaking.

"Unfortunately, there aren't: we're no closer in discovering who updated that mutagen than where it came from, other than what we already know. But we _won't_ give up trying, I can assure you that."

Having nothing else to say in the matter, Hidemi changes the subject.

"I think _we've_ done all that we can here, so why don't we allow my husband to get on with his work for the day & I'll take the rest of us back home?"

Seeing there _was_ all they could do, the group agreed.

"You're right, Hidemi", Maui said. "We don't want to delay Tajima any more than we already have."

"Not at all, Maui", Akemi says. "Our papa was quite happy to lend his assistance to both you & Moana, so please don't think that either of you were intruding, much less interfering in his work."

A nod from Tajima was all the answer they needed.

"Domo arigato", Maui & Moana said with a smile, making everyone else do the same.

"Thanks for everything, Tajima. We'll see you later on", Hidemi said in her tongue.

"Not at all, Hidemi. See you in the evening", Tajima replied before husband & wife shared a passionate kiss that left the group in a joyous mood despite the circumstance: it reminded Elinor of when she & Gus express their love at every chance they get, & even when she reminisces about the times her first husband King Fergus did so.

Same went for Eugene & Rapunzel Benice, along with Kristoff & Anna Sugimoto.

Breaking off from their embrace, Hidemi addressed the group.

"Let's get home, everyone", she said as she lead the way past the main lobby & into the parking lot where Angus, Maximus & Sven awaited. The latter two wagged their tails like puppies seeing their friends/owners as Angus let out a soft neigh when he spotted Merida.

"So…how'd it _go_ in there? Any luck?", Kristoff said in the voice he used for Sven.

"Well, Tajima's staff have agreed to help", Kristoff said in his regular voice. "Now all we have to do is play the waiting game."

"Let's hope we don't have to wait _too_ long", he said in Sven's voice.

"Yeah, us too, buddy", he said in his own voice before mounting his reindeer with Anna.

Maui & Moana stared at Kristoff like they'd never seen him before.

"It's a thing they share. Don't ask", Elsa says with a grin, getting stifling giggles from the rest.

Neither living descendant of the famed voyager & demigod pondered on a man who speaks for his reindeer, as they possibly _couldn't_ understand it.

Grinning themselves, they entered the car as Eugene & Rapunzel boarded Maximus, with Merida & Elsa doing so on Angus.

Wishing Tajima & his staff the best of luck, they headed for home.

 _The Sugimoto residence, Saturday, September 17_ _th_ _, 9:00 a.m.:_

Once Tajima returned home on Wednesday, the family & their friends got word from Yoshi & General Ernie that a search for Tamatoa was underway, scanning the seas/oceans for any signs of giant crabs that may be lurking upon the seabed. But while the group was glad that the coconut crab was being searched for on two fronts, it still did little to lift up their spirits: the next two days were something of a slump for them, barely saying a word & eating in silence. Having the thought of something as diabolical as Tamatoa roaming the Earth & not knowing exactly where he is was taking a big toll on them: the giant coconut crab could pop up unexpectedly & wreak havoc anywhere in the world, & by then it may be too late to avoid catastrophe & loss of life. Despite his large size, Tamatoa is quite agile & he thinks just like a person would, making him all the more dangerous even for the military.

And knowing the updated mutagen was still out there somewhere didn't help matters either, as it increased their worries.

It was a heavy burden weighing down on them, with no relief in sight.

Not even Pascal, Olaf or any of the animals could break them out of it, & brought them into it as well.

Their slump went on for two whole days & into Saturday morning as they ate in silence again at the table.

Having already eaten, Elinor, Tajima, Hidemi, Akemi & Emiko were getting worried.

"Three days in a slump, & it's only going to get _worse_ from this point on…unless we _do_ something", Elinor says.

"I know, Elinor", Hidemi said. "It _is_ troublesome for them with the situation of Tamatoa on their minds, which is understandable of course. And let's not forget that this new & improved _mutagen_ still hasn't been found yet."

"But they still shouldn't be in this state for the duration of their time together", Emiko says. "Due to them living in separate countries, they don't get to _be_ with each other too much."

"Exactly, Emiko", Akemi says. "It's _why_ we suggested they spend time together on an annual or bi-annual basis, & this is _not_ the way they should use it."

"But what _can_ we do to perk them up, you guys?", Olaf asked. "Even _I_ can't get them to crack a smile, no matter _what_ antics I use."

Lowering his head, Olaf feels as helpless as if he were melting in the heat without the mini cloud over his head.

"Don't worry, Olaf", Tajima said. "We'll spend this weekend to do just that. The girls are right: the distance they have between them doesn't make it easy for Elsa & the rest to enjoy being a group often, & like them, I can't stand to see them in a melancholy mood. After they finish their breakfast we'll take a ride into the city so that they can…"

His sentence got interrupted as the front doorbell rang, getting everyone's attention. Thinking quickly, Akemi & Emiko get to the back door & get on either side as the former slides it open.

"Olaf, quick! Get into the backyard & stay out of sight until…", Emiko started to say as Olaf sped through the open door in the blink of an eye, astonishing the girls, their parents _and_ Elinor.

"That _is_ pretty quick!", Akemi & Emiko said in their tongue, staring at each other in disbelief.

Closing the door, Tajima approached the front entrance & opened it to reveal a man near his age & attired in a pair of blue jeans, white sneakers & red shirt. He had a hair of curled black hair that was styled neatly.

Seeing the man's smiling face made Tajima do the same, for he _knows_ him.

"Hiroshi!", Tajima cried.

"Tajima!", Hiroshi cried as the men embrace one another briefly & let out a laugh of joy.

When Hidemi, Akemi & Emiko saw who it was, they too cried out his name & embraced him as their husband & father do. As they greet each other in their language, Elinor, Elsa, Rapunzel & the rest see who was at the door as the group turn their attention to those inside the house.

"Ah! I wasn't aware that you had guests, Tajima!", Hiroshi says in his tongue.

" _Some_ of them are guests, Hiroshi…some are family members!", Tajima said before speaking in English. "Folks, I'd like for you to meet Hiroshi Jinkawa – a great friend of mine from college!"

Forgetting their melancholy mood, the group smile & wave to Hiroshi.

"Please to meet you all! Hold on – I'd like for you to say 'hello' to my little nephew!", Hiroshi said in English as he spoke Japanese to somebody over by the car he drove in. "Hey, Roku-chan…come & say 'hi' to Tajima's friends & family!"

The sound of footsteps could be heard on the gravel as a young boy of seven-eight years stepped into view with green pants, black sneakers & yellow shirt with the Peanuts character Snoopy on display. His hair was cropped short, & had the cutest eyes/smile on a Japanese boy the group ever saw.

None of them could resist smiling back, so they do.

"Hey, little buddy…", Eugene started to say before Kristoff joined him on the next part.

"How _you_ doin'?", they say, pointing a finger the way Matt LeBlanc does on the sitcom 'Friends'.

"Hi, Roku-chan! It's good to see you!", said Maui.

"Sadly, Roku-chan – whose actual name is Rokuro Ibuki – can't speak English", Hiroshi said. "But he's no less happy to be meeting you folks all the same!"

Pascal leaped onto Roku-chan's shoulder, crawling over him as the young boy giggled.

When he saw Hiroshi, Pascal repeated the process.

The group couldn't help but to giggle in return.

"Looks like _Pascal's_ just as happy to meet him too, Hiroshi – the same as with _you!_ ", Rapunzel said before the chameleon went back on her shoulder.

"Yeah, when he jumps onto your shoulder & crawls around like that, it means that he approves!", Anna said.

Hiroshi laughed, enjoying the scenario being played.

"Glad he does, young miss!", he says. "That's quite the chameleon you got there!"

 _You have_ no _idea, Hiroshi!_ , Rapunzel thought.

"So, Hiroshi…what brings you over to our humble abode this morning?", Elsa wondered.

"To let Tajima know that…it's finally completed", Hiroshi answered.

Elsa, Elinor & the group didn't know what the man was talking about, but Tajima, his wife & daughters did.

"You've _finished it_ , Hiroshi?", Tajima asked.

"Just last night before Roku-chan & I went to bed!", Hiroshi says.

" _Excellent!_ ", Hidemi, Akemi & Emiko said.

"Mr. Hiroshi, _what_ exactly is 'finally finished'?", Merida asked.

"Something I've been working on since finishing college – a dream project I promised to complete for somebody who was very special to me", Hiroshi explained. "I came down to invite Tajima & the family to come see it, & I _also_ want to bring _you_ people along, now that we've gotten acquainted. What do you say?"

Elinor turned to the group & spoke before anyone else could, doing so in a motherly tone.

"Listen: the last few days _have_ been strenuous & blue for most of us, we get that. But do you think that Patricia, Nathan or even my beloved Gus would want us to be in such a melancholy manner, especially since you folks don't get to see each other in the flesh that often? You wouldn't want to waste your time together feeling sad & worried, right?"

"Elinor's right: whatever's been worrying you, don't let it take control of your lives. We'll take to & handle it at the right time when & if it occurs", Hidemi adds. "There's a time & place for everything, & now's the time to _enjoy_ the company of your friends while you can. We _know_ that you people are _better_ than to stay in a slump & let the time go by worrying over circumstances beyond your control."

Elinor & Hidemi's words had an immediate effect on Elsa & company: since being thrown into/reawakening into the 21st Century & discovering each other in March last year, they shared time in Los Angeles for almost a full year & got to know one another quite well. After the Black Hole Aliens, their monsters & Yakuza boss Hisashi Masahiro were defeated, leaving each other's presence was tough, & Gus & Elinor's wedding didn't begin to fill in that hole of being separated for too long. The ladies were correct: they _do not_ get to be a group often, & to spend it worrying when there was nothing they could do themselves was _wasting_ it away when they should be enjoying each other's company.

Immediately they felt guilty about being blue the last few days, but they were going to atone for it.

Beginning now.

"You ladies raise some excellent points", Moana said as everybody nodded. "Let's start _living_ life with all of our friends rather than throwing it away."

The five Japanese & Elinor smiled proudly, seeing the group breaking out of their glum state.

"Excellent!", Hiroshi says. "And just in case any portion of your blues are still present, I have something to show you that will chase the rest of it away! Let's take you all over to _our_ place, & you'll see what I mean! It isn't far from here at all!"

"Lead the way, Hiroshi. Some of us will follow on the animals", said Kristoff as the group stepped outside.

"Animals?", Hiroshi asked.

Kristoff, Eugene & Merida whistled sharply before Maximus, Sven & Angus came out of the barn that housed the Andalusian, reindeer & Clydesdale. The steeds came towards the group & get their first glimpse of Hiroshi & Roku-chan, both of whom were fascinated at the animals. Sniffing the newcomers, Maximus smiles as Sven licked Hiroshi as a faithful dog would, inciting laughs from everyone.

"You are most _definitely approved_ , Hiroshi!", Anna joked, the laughter rising a notch.

"Approved by both the regular & animal courts – a double victory!", Hiroshi says, chuckling. "Come on, kids: let me take you over to & show you my recent accomplishment!"

Nodding, everyone gathered in their vehicles & steeds as Hiroshi leads the way.

 _Kiyokawa, Kanagawa Prefecture, 10:10 a.m.:_

Before they left, Elsa went inside the house & went to the back door to quietly consult with Olaf that they'd be out for a while, & that he needed to be inside. Olaf told Elsa that he knows the drill like the back of his hand.

When he _does_ look at the back of his hand, he stated that it was new to him.

Elsa had to giggle at the snowman's attempt at humor.

Caressing his cheek, Elsa closed the door & locked it before exiting the front as Tajima did the same with that.

Hiroshi drove towards the Kiyokawa area as Maximus, Sven & Angus follow closely, never losing sight of the man's vehicle or any of their friends riding with him. Eugene, Rapunzel, Kristoff, Anna, Elsa & Merida all ride on their respected animals with everyone else getting comfortable in Hiroshi's van, which was capable of carrying everyone in it with room to spare. Like Tajima's home, Hiroshi's was on a hill that had a singular road to take directly to it. As they arrived, the group see a well-built two-story house in a brown shade that was three vehicles wide _and_ long, complete with a deck that was attached to the front entrance & the right side. A gravel driveway was where Hiroshi parked his vehicle as everyone got out & stared at the domicile in amazement.

Even the animals were impressed, & Pascal gave out a sound that was equivalent to 'wow'.

"That's pretty swank!", Kristoff said.

"Not as good as _our_ house, though", he said in Sven's voice.

"You know, Sven, it isn't nice to insult a person's house when he invites you to it", Kristoff said in his voice.

"I'm just saying", he said in Sven's voice.

"You're a pest sometimes, you know that?", Kristoff concludes in his own voice as Sven pants & wags his tail like a puppy.

Hiroshi found Kristoff's antics so funny he gave out an amusing laugh.

"He's a riot, Kristoff is…giving his reindeer a voice to call his own", Hiroshi said in his tongue to Tajima.

"He never ceases to amaze us with that", Tajima replied as both men, Rokuro & the ladies laugh.

"But nevertheless, Hiroshi, this _is_ quite a place!", Maui says, getting nods from all.

"Thank you, Maui!", Hiroshi said. "But if you think the _exterior_ looks good, wait until you all see the _interior!_ "

Walking to the front door & pulling out a key, Hiroshi opened it up to reveal a comfortable living room with a large couch that faces an equally-large flat-screen television & a kitchen in the next room. Having traveled for nearly an hour gave the bunch quite a thirst, & Hiroshi offered a serving of bottled water to each of his guests.

Pascal also got his fill of that cool refreshing treat from Rapunzel's in a small cup.

Once they rehydrated themselves, Hiroshi leads them to a spiral staircase that went downstairs into a darkened basement. Hardly able to see their hands in front of their faces as they reached the bottom, Maui asked for some lights as Hiroshi was all too happy to comply with. When he flicked the switch, the room brightened up into a large area filled with scientific equipment, ranging from computers to a tool chest full of what it was designed to hold. On the ceiling was a large silver ball that hung from a single chain, looking like it came from the future. Some wiring was exposed, & a couple large pipes serving as conduits ran from the floor to the ceiling.

Gasps escaped from each pair of lips upon first sight of this sophisticated yet totally amazing/mind-blowing room Hiroshi lead them in.

"So, my friends…what do you _think?_ ", Hiroshi asked with a big grin.

"What can we _say_ , Hiroshi?! This is _incredible!_ ", Moana exclaimed, unable to contain her joy.

"Yeah, it's like the future came to the past, you might say!", Maui adds.

"In a way, it has", Hiroshi says. "Since becoming fascinated with machinery at a young age, I've studied every aspect of technology right down to the bare wires & the smallest bolts. Upon learning of what makes devices tick, I've experimented on countless of them to see if something can be made stronger than it already is or even improved for a much better performance. In one of my experiments, I made a handmade arm with four fingers do exactly what I told it to, using only the sound of my voice. _That_ little miracle paved the way for my greatest invention, which is the reason I invited you all up here to bear witness to."

Hiroshi pointed towards an area that was still in the dark straight ahead of them.

Elsa, Rapunzel, Merida & company walked over to where Hiroshi directed them & stopped when they were ten feet in front of it.

"So…where exactly _is_ it, Hiroshi?", Merida asked.

"Where indeed…all _I_ see is another dark room", Elinor says.

"You sure you didn't lead us towards a broom closet, Hiroshi?", asked Rapunzel, facing him.

The Japanese technician chuckled silently, making the rest grin.

"Positive, Rapunzel", Hiroshi assured her. "Because a broom closet wouldn't have _this_ standing within it!"

On the word of 'this', Hiroshi turned on the light in the darkened room, illuminating it.

More gasps of surprise & intrigue escaped lips as the group were now standing in the presence of a _robot_ that is two meters tall in height, with patches of yellow, blue & red among its silver hue. The head was irregularly shaped, as its top was pointed in the rear rather than rounded like humans'. A pair of antennae were presented upon the sides of its head, having a small fin on each end. Its eyes were a solid black, & a grill-like mouth was fixed into a permanent smile.

"Whoa!", said Eugene, Kristoff & Maui.

" _Our_ thoughts _exactly!_ ", Elinor, Merida, Anna, Elsa, Rapunzel & Moana say together.

Pascal simply stood & stared wide-eyed, making a cackling as his jaw dropped.

"Amazing, isn't he?", Hiroshi says. "Say hello to my pride & joy for the past six/seven years – Jet Jaguar!"

Going over to a console & pressing a button, the robot suddenly sprang to life as it emitted a soft humming noise followed by a beeping that went off in intervals of a second between each sound. Jet Jaguar surprised the group as he began walking out of his enclosed space as they parted in order to give the robot plenty of headway. Jet Jaguar walked over to where Hiroshi & his group were standing at, each one marveled at the robot as he acted like he was on a casual stroll through the park. Tajima, Hidemi, Akemi, Emiko & even Roku-chan grinned at the mechanical marvel Hiroshi brought to life.

Merida & her group were also smiling at the machine that's now become active.

As Jet Jaguar walked around the room back & forth, Hiroshi explained the robot's functions.

"Jet Jaguar is equipped with an artificial intelligence of my conjuring, enabling him to make snap decisions just as effectively as human beings do. His armor is a strong titanium alloy that can withstand even the immense pressures of the ocean bottom, or the cold vacuum of space itself. The twin antennae along the sides of his head are very powerful receivers, & can pick up transmissions from miles away. Jet Jaguar can fly at a top speed of Mach 3.5, & his eyes have a multitude of functions: TV cameras that can project what he views or record it for prosperity, powerful blinding lights to search for anything in the dark, plus they're equipped with motion sensors – so you'll _never_ have to worry about him running into you, either on purpose _or_ accidentally."

"He'll always steer clear of you by keeping out of your way, huh?", Eugene asked.

"Precisely!"

"You certainly have pretty much all the basics covered, Hiroshi!", said Kristoff.

"I wonder…is Jet Jaguar combat-efficient?", Merida asked as everyone turned to her.

Jet Jaguar paused in his stride & looked her way as well.

Before anyone could say anything, the robot gave Merida a thumbs-up gesture with his right hand, indicating that he understood.

"There's your answer, Merida!", Hiroshi says. "What do you kids say? Care to give Jet Jaguar a workout?"

The group's answer was also immediate.

"Oh, it's on!", Eugene, Kristoff & Merida say as one, wicked smiles on their faces.

 _Twenty minutes later:_

Heading over to another room that was large & compatible enough for physical training with equipment & other items (such as safety mats), the group began pitting their own fighting prowess up against Jet Jaguar's in his debut bout since activation. One by one, the group tested their mettle at the robot as Jet Jaguar did towards them. Anna went first, using moves she learned from Rapunzel & her husband, along with several ninja/samurai moves she viewed in movies & on internet videos.

Everything she learned from these, Anna used them to her fullest potential.

Sadly, it still wasn't enough: Jet Jaguar counteracted her moves & defeated her.

"Okay… _this_ could've gone much better!", Anna says in a low, frustrating voice as she crossed her arms & wore a sulking face as Jet Jaguar hung her upside down like a bat, holding her ankles in one hand.

The group couldn't help but to snicker.

Rapunzel went next, using her acrobatic skills she used while being in Gothel's tower, followed by when she & Eugene were escaping from both the palace guards & Stabbington Brothers at the Snuggly Duckling. Corona's former long-lost princess gave Jet Jaguar a good workout with her fancy moves.

But in the end, _her_ maneuvers fared no better than Anna's, & she was caught by the robot when he grabbed the girl with the magic hair by said appendage, grabbing a fistful of it & immobilizing her.

No matter how hard she tried, Rapunzel couldn't get free.

 _If only my hair was 70 feet long again, I'd wrap this guy_ all up _with it!_ , Rapunzel thought in frustration.

Pascal's jaw dropped in shock as he emitted a croak of that emotion.

Next was Kristoff, who used his great strength & agility to keep himself ahead of Jet Jaguar: he used hard kicks & several body slams to try & catch the robot off-guard in order to gain the advantage. Jet Jaguar is just as resilient as he is agile, as Kristoff was about to discover: in a move that surprised him, Kristoff was grabbed by the robot after a failed attempt at knocking him over with a tackle from behind & thrown across the room, landing on his back as they all gasped at the maneuver.

Even though the mats were well-patted, Kristoff felt the impact & left him numb.

"I'm okay…really!", he said in a voice that proved he was anything but.

Jet Jaguar came to help Kristoff up with one hand, enabling him to walk away on his own power, albeit groggily.

The former Flynn Rider was the next contestant, & he used every bit of his skills to evade capture by the robot he could muster. Eugene gave Jet Jaguar a grand workout as the robot tried to snatch the one-time thief, only to slip by every time. But one maneuver caught Eugene off-guard, & Jet Jaguar was grabbed by the lapels of his shirt from behind & brought to the robot's face.

Thinking fast, Eugene gave Jet Jaguar a swift kick in the family jewels, only to get a loud clang as he remembered a crucial fact.

"Oh, _right!_ ", Eugene said with a sly face/smile. "You're an _actual_ robot… _not_ some dude in a suit!"

No sooner did Eugene get the words out than Jet Jaguar laid him down on the mats, his hand on his chest while holding his wrists together in the blink of an eye as Eugene stared at the mechanized face of his sparring partner.

"I yield", he said softly, thus getting released & walked over to his wife.

"Good thing the Captain of the guards didn't have _him_ in his ranks when you were still a thief!", Rapunzel says in a whisper to her hubby.

"Yeah, _tell_ me about it!", Eugene whispered back, causing his wife to giggle softly.

Elsa went next, followed by Merida: the Snow Queen recalled her training with the Scottish redhead when they were sparring in Moscow before they went to apprehend Kazimir Volkov. She gave her robotic sparring partner a good workout, but fell in the end when Jet Jaguar grabbed her hands together & put Elsa on her back, followed by placing his foot on one leg.

Were Hiroshi & Roku-chan not present, Elsa would use her ice to free herself.

Instead, she accepts defeat.

Merida gave Jet Jaguar a fiercer workout, using her skills _and_ strength to stay ahead of her robotic partner, landing a good number of kicks & even punches against Jet Jaguar's titanium armor. Despite the fact they stung with each blow she gave, Merida didn't yield & their quarrel lasted for a full five minutes before it ended in a draw.

For Jet Jaguar's final bout, Maui & Moana suggested having Hiroshi's robot going up against _two_ opponents at the same time, seeing how well he handles a pair rather than an individual.

Anxious to see for himself, Hiroshi approved & the fight commenced.

Maui & Moana teamed up against Jet Jaguar, getting on opposite sides of the robot & keeping him confused just before landing a number of hits on the metal man. Jet Jaguar of course fought back with precision to the very best of his abilities, but even he was outmatched by the duo's skills & in good time, Jet Jaguar finally met defeat when Moana went in for a close encounter assault & kept him distracted before Maui used his strength & skill to knock the robot off his feet & landed on his back.

Maui & Moana stood on their guard even though their opponent was down.

Jet Jaguar held up his hands in surrender, indicating the workout was over.

Tajima, Hidemi, Akemi, Emiko, Hiroshi & Roku-chan all clapped in appreciation of the show as Jet Jaguar got up & bowed to each one of his sparring partners before they, too, clap with big smiles on their faces, thanking the robot for the workout of a lifetime.

Even Pascal bowed & clapped.

 _Ground level, five minutes later:_

After their grand workout, the group went up to the living room, taking Jet Jaguar with them. The robot was taken outside in the back where Maximus, Sven & Angus waited as the steeds saw the metal man for the first time. They gave the animals a quick rundown of Jet Jaguar & all his specifics as told by Hiroshi, remembering every detail.

The animals took an instant liking to the robot, & even had their photos taken by the group on their cell phones.

Hiroshi, Roku-chan, Tajima, Hidemi, Akemi & Emiko watched for a few minutes before entering the kitchen for another drink, coupled with several biscuits & other goodies.

With the group outside, the six Japanese speak their mother tongues.

"Excellent job you did, Hiroshi!" said Hidemi. "You've made Jet Jaguar the efficient warrior, & he performed as wonderfully as you ever hoped for!"

"He also implemented the right amount of force against each opponent, never going overboard & knowing when each of them surrendered!", Akemi adds.

"Thank you very much, Hidemi, Akemi!", Hiroshi said. "While I programmed Jet Jaguar to be a fierce opponent in battle, I also gave him instructions on when to show leniency whenever it's warranted. I _only_ want him using deadly force if & when he has no other choice."

"Exactly like being an officer of the law", Emiko says. "Although they carry guns, they only shoot when suspects give them no alternative. Deep down, _no_ officer ever _wants_ to take a human life when it can be helped."

"You're correct, Emiko", Tajima said. "Cops are hired to preserve the peace, wanting to avoid bloodshed at each opportunity. This is true for every decent police force in the world, not only here in Japan. What Hiroshi did with Jet Jaguar was no different."

"My uncle was very specific about having Jet Jaguar as humane a personality as anyone else with a good heart, Tajima", Roku-chan said. "Being a good combatant also means knowing to display compassion at the correct moment, something Uncle Hiroshi was very adamant about."

"Not _just_ me, Rokuro", Hiroshi says. "Your father Goro _also_ made it very clear that Jet Jaguar was to be fitted with having good judgment, a caring soul & showing clemency when _he_ originally designed & programmed him."

Hiroshi's tone took on a more somber level.

"What I wouldn't do to have him & his wife here with us now to see his brainchild moving up & about."

His statement put the six Japanese in a melancholy mood.

Each of them remembers Goro Ibuki & his wife Nanase: the idea of Jet Jaguar was all Goro's from the beginning, having showed Hiroshi, Tajima & his wife/daughters his big dream project. Each of them were ecstatic & excited for it, & Hiroshi was given the pleasure of assisting Goro in putting Jet Jaguar together. They worked very closely on it for the first year, even after Rokuro was born. His wife Nanase enjoyed seeing her husband & Hiroshi collaborating on his brainchild even as she attended to Roku-chan's needs.

But the happy times came to such a tragic end: one night, as Hiroshi was asked to care for young Rokuro, Goro & Nanase were hit by a drunk driver who collided with them that killed not only the drunken fool, but also Goro & his wife. Police came to his house to find Hiroshi with Roku-chan in his arms, explaining what occurred.

Hiroshi became weak in the knees & nearly dropped Goro's infant son upon being told.

He _would've_ dropped him, had it not been for the police as they got him & Rokuro steady before leading him on over to a couch to sit down upon.

Once the child was taken into another room, Hiroshi cried his eyes out.

Spreading the news to Tajima & his family, they did the same thing.

Poor Rokuro grew up without a mother or father, but was helped raised by the Sugimoto family until he was five & ready for his first day of school in 2013 – just over two months before Tajima, his wife & daughters all went over to Norway where Elsa, Anna, Kristoff & Sven were found frozen in ice.

Grief aside, Hiroshi was determined to finish Goro's dream project as Roku-chan added _his_ expertise once he was of age to lend a hand when Hiroshi needed it most.

This day was a happy yet sad occasion: Goro's dream project finally sees life, yet his true inventor isn't around to bear witness to it.

It was their biggest & deepest regret, as well as sadness.

The sound of Elinor & the others giggling caught their attention, & the six Japanese went over to the window that showed the backyard where they were greeted with a most astonishing sight: Jet Jaguar held up Anna & Rapunzel on each arm with ease as the robot walked them across the lawn, going one way before turning around & heading back.

Jet Jaguar's actions were captured on their cell phones as recorded videos for prosperity.

Even Maximus & Sven were enjoying the moment, & they walked along with Jet Jaguar as he took a stroll with the girls in his arms. Angus followed behind with Merida riding upon him, moving when the robot turned 180 degrees & walked back.

Seeing this spectacle immediately lifted the melancholy mood of the six Japanese, their mouths becoming bright smiles & feeling giddy from head to toe.

"And _that_ right there…is how the memory of Goro & Nanase are kept alive!", Hiroshi said, pointing to the lovely scenario now unfolding before them.

" _Yes!_ ", Tajima, Hidemi, Akemi, Emiko & Rokuro say.

The group stayed at Hiroshi's domicile & continued having fun with Jet Jaguar until nightfall.

 **CHAPTER IV**

 _The Sugimoto residence, Monday, September 19_ _th_ _, 9:00 a.m.:_

On Sunday, the group were taken into Tokyo to show Elinor, Merida, Eugene, Rapunzel, Maui, Moana & Pascal around & witness the many sights that is Japan's capital. Maximus, Sven & Angus were also on board, getting a really close-up view of the major metropolis. They mainly stayed away from areas that were still under repair from Godzilla's rampage on New Year's Day 2015, but there were still plenty of districts for them to stop at, ranging from the bustling Shinjuku District, where some of the city's tallest skyscrapers resided at to the Hoya Golf Center in the Nishi-Tokyo District.

Maui made a suggestion that they go up Tokyo Tower, but Tajima says he'd wanted to wait until later on in the week before doing so, saying it would be worth it.

Believing & trusting his word, they agreed to hold off until the proper time.

At home, Olaf was keeping himself occupied with video games & online English-dubbed programs, ranging from anime to live-action. He even acted out certain scenes that appealed to him best, often losing a leg and/or a stick arm.

It was nothing Olaf couldn't handle, & he pulled himself together in the blink of an eye.

Now it was the start of a brand-new day of work as Tajima & company were enjoying breakfast as prepared once again by Hidemi & Elinor, having it ready by the time everyone was up & about. Dishes of fish, eggs, bacon, potatoes & fruits were served to satisfaction, with glasses of milk, water and/or juice to wash it all down.

Like every morning, Maximus, Sven & Angus get their nourishment first before their owners & friends do.

Everyone praised both ladies for a well-made meal, making Elinor & Hidemi grin proudly.

As they ate, the house phone rang as Tajima picked it up once he saw the call was for him.

The Arendelle trio & their friends were eating in the living room as the rest were in the dining room.

"So, where should we venture off into on _this_ particular day?", Elinor wondered. "Tokyo is _such_ a marvel of a city, it's so _hard_ to decide on where to begin!"

"Why not the Edogawa or Chiba Districts?", Maui suggests. " _Those_ two areas haven't been affected by Godzilla's rampage, & we've not seen the eastern side of the city yet."

"Or maybe down to Sagami Bay?", Moana suggested. "Maui & I always _did_ love seeing the beach areas of any major city…hence our heritage, that is."

"With _that_ kind of thinking, you two definitely _are_ the descendants of the original Maui & Moana!", said Eugene, flashing his 'charming face' & getting chuckles from the rest.

"But then again, once a voyager…", Rapunzel began.

" _Always_ a voyager!", Anna finished, high-fiving her good friend.

"Actually, I was thinking on taking Sven into the woods behind us for the day", Kristoff says. "It's getting pretty close to the fall, & we want to start collecting firewood & be prepared for when the winter months come around."

"Let me accompany you on that, Kristoff", Merida says. "Both Angus _and_ Sven can carry a sled filled with wood for the fireplace, & you know what they say about two heads being better than one."

Kristoff smiled, liking the idea of having the Scottish redhead & her steed joining him on such a chore.

Before he could answer, Tajima came into the room.

"Actually Kristoff, could you & Merida postpone that until tomorrow?", he asked. "Something just came up that needs my immediate attention."

"What _kind_ of something, Tajima?", Elsa asked.

"I've gotten off the phone with Akihiko at the office, Elsa. He's informed me that the chairman of Sudo Sciences wishes to speak to me directly. When I'd asked Akihiko what the call entailed, he stated that the chairman would speak _only_ to _me_ about it, no one else."

The group looked to each other in utter & complete confusion.

"Sudo Sciences? I've never _heard_ of such a place in all of Tokyo before", said Anna.

"There's a good reason for that, Anna", said Emiko. "According to our papa's phone call, it isn't _located_ here in Tokyo at all."

"Then where _is_ it located, if not here in _this_ city?", Rapunzel wondered.

"That's the thing, Rapunzel", Akemi adds. "The chairman our papa spoke of was speaking to Akihiko from the city of Osaka."

"Osaka?!", the group said simultaneously, becoming more confused than before.

Like magic, the morning turned from joyous to mysterious.

 _The Chuo District, Osaka, 1:30 p.m.:_

Believing it to be of vital importance, Elsa & company agreed on accompanying Tajima & the family on their trip over to Japan's second largest city. Saying their goodbyes to the animals due to the fact that they couldn't take them along (not even Pascal), the group hailed a pair of cabs to fit everyone inside before heading over to a bullet train station. Getting tickets, they traveled past Tokyo & through Nagoya, of which the railways/roadways were cleared/fixed since being invaded by the Seatopians & their monsters Megalon, Destoroyah & Biollante before getting defeated by King Seesar, Anguirus, Godzilla & Godzilla Junior.

The entire Sugimoto family can still see in their minds the battles that took place in this very city, which had also resulted in the death of many good men in the JSDF that included Jiro Dobashi, the soldier who lost his wife & child to Godzilla & yearned for revenge on the creature until Elsa made him see the light & fought the _real_ enemies.

Even after more than a year since that day, the pain of what occurred in Nagoya still lingered in their hearts.

Elsa, Anna & Kristoff comforted each other from the memory, as did Tajima with his wife & daughters.

Amid their trip through Nagoya, the city was still in need of repair but has made incredible progress since the day of the attack, with many buildings close to completion, same as Tokyo.

It was a small comfort, but a comfort just the same.

Passing through Nagoya, the group arrived in Osaka after a three-hour ride. Once they got street-side, they were awaited by a pair of black SUVs parked at the entrance with four men in black business suits standing next to each other in perfect parallel. One of them held up a sign that said 'Sugimoto' in Japanese, indicating they were expected. Before Tajima could utter one syllable, another of the four men asked for him, his family & friends to board the vehicles.

The opening of the doors were all the group needed to know without a translation.

Doing as requested, the two SUVs headed directly for the famous Crystal Tower, one of the city's tallest buildings located in the Chuo-ku District of Osaka. It resided between a yield patch of land in the O River, & contains a surface of mirrored glass which gives it a crystalline look, hence its name.

Photos of this building as with everywhere else since their arrival were taken from cell phones.

Pulling up at the entrance, the group step out of their rides & take a good look of the building from up close, each admiring its beauty. The four men gave them no time to savor the scenery, as one of them ordered the group inside the main lobby where they were to remain.

When Tajima asked when they were going to see the chairman, none of them answered as they walked away in complete silence, leaving the group alone in the lobby.

Things were getting more & more suspicious by the second, & nobody in the entire group liked it. Not one bit.

Luckily, they didn't have to wait long for somebody to arrive: a man in a dark blue business suit, black shoes & tie approached them. He was slightly taller than Tajima, with a head of neatly-trimmed curly black hair, thin mustache on his upper lip & a pair of eyeglasses 2-3 times larger than the scientist's own.

His hands were behind his back, & he wore a pleasant smile that felt anything but to the group.

"Greetings, professor Sugimoto", he said in Japanese. "I'm glad you were able to make it on such short notice."

"Excuse me, but…are _you_ the chairman I'm expected to meet here?", Tajima replied.

The man simply laughed softly.

"Afraid not, professor", he said. "I'm only the chairman's assistant. My name is Kubota. I've been instructed to take you up to him once you arrived. He's quite anxious to see you, so if you'll kindly come with me…"

Kubota turned around & started walking towards the elevators as Tajima turned to his family & friends.

"Perhaps you all better wait down here until I get this all straightened out", he said in English.

To their surprise, Kubota stopped, turned & addressed the group in perfect English.

"Actually, professor, have them accompany us. The chairman's quite anxious to meet your family & friends as well", he said in that smile of his.

Curiosity overpowering them, they agreed & followed Kubota to the elevators: in one, Kubota suggested that the Sugimoto family all took one elevator, with the rest taking the one next to theirs.

Feeling an overcrowded elevator _would_ be unethical, Elinor & her party agreed.

Rising to the top floor, Kubota's elevator arrived first as Elinor's did so moments later.

Kubota lead them down the hall towards a door that opened up to a waiting room with a pair of couches, chairs & a flat-screen monitor hung on the wall in the upper left-hand corner. The chairman's assistant gestured to a second door on the opposite side of the room – one that lead directly inside the chairman's office.

Opening the door, Kubota showed them a large room that was as neatly decorated as any Tajima had ever seen in his life: a shelf of books over at one wall, a large flat-screen television on the other. Two sofas were placed facing each other on both sides of the chairman's desk. On the wall behind the desk were four large windows that would offer a grand view of Osaka, were the blinds not in the way. A large swivel chair sat on the opposite side of the desk.

It was presently facing away from Tajima & company.

"Mr. Chairman…your guests have arrived", Kubota said in English.

The chair swiveled around to reveal the owner of the building, & the group widened their eyes in shock: a young man – a _very_ young man – in an identical blue business suit with black hair that was as stylish as any adult's.

 _This man…_ he's _the chairman?!_ , Tajima thought.

When said person saw his guests, he smiled warmly.

"Professor Sugimoto! How good to finally meet you in person! I'm Mr. Sudo!", the chairman said in English.

Nobody could answer, for they were still in shock & awe at the person running the place.

"Is everything okay?", asked Kubota. "You all look like you've seen a ghost."

It was that which broke the group out of their stunned stupor.

"I-It's nothing, really", said Eugene. "Only that, well…"

"We just never expected the chairman to be so _young!_ ", said Kristoff.

"Yeah, you look more like you belong in _high school_ rather than running a business!", said Maui.

Kubota & Sudo looked to each other & laughed.

"Such a family & group of friends you have, professor!", Sudo says, grinning. "Smart, witty, & a _terrific_ sense of humor! They certainly do you proud, I imagine!"

It was then that Sudo turned to Elsa & stared at her intently, his smile pleasant.

But to Elsa, it was anything but. Same as with that stare he was giving her.

"Yes, they do", Tajima said in as casual a voice as he could.

"Pardon me, sir, but I do believe you called Tajima here on business?", Moana says.

"Indeed I have, young lady", Sudo replied, facing the scientist. "Being the founder/owner of Sugimoto Science & Tech in Tokyo, you've made such accomplishments with your self-named company throughout the years, which is one of the main reasons why I've invited you here today."

A thought suddenly came to everyone, & Elinor was the first to announce it.

"You mean to say that… _this_ place we're in is Sudo Sciences?"

"You are correct, madam", Sudo replied. "Yes, to the outside world, this is famously known as the Crystal Tower. But, being from a wealthy family, I _bought_ this building with my own money some time ago & had renamed it my _own_ self-named company."

"Mr. Sudo, if this building _is_ your company name now, why isn't _your_ name displayed on it like my husband's on his?", Hidemi asked.

"A fair question, Miss Sugimoto. Simply put, we aren't _ready_ yet to display it upon the building, which is another reason for your husband being here today."

"You want our papa to _combine_ his company along with _yours_ ", Emiko says, the realization hitting her first. "To form a _merger_ between the two of you."

Kubota & Sudo smiled at the revelation.

"You are _correct_ , my dear", the former said. "That's the main reason _why_ your father was invited to our office."

The group look to each other in bewilderment before turning back to Kubota & Sudo.

"You actually want me…to combine my own company with yours?", Tajima asked.

"Absolutely", Sudo said. "Think about it, professor: with our combined companies & the smartest minds merging as one, the possibilities for brand-new sciences would be virtually endless. We could wind up making cures for current diseases that are deemed incurable, like AIDS for instance. Or better yet, create devices that can actually transport both objects & people from one place to another with the mere push of a button."

"Instant teleportation?"

"Exactly. Imagine going from, say, America to Japan in the blink of an eye, or even better yet, from the Earth up to the moon & back again. It would revolutionize travel as we know it, & nobody would ever need to use cars, planes, boats or any _other_ conventional means of traveling. Traffic jams would be a thing of the past."

"And that's not even the most _incredible_ of advances we could make together, professor", Kubota adds.

"Kubota is correct: merging our companies & minds together, we can create weapons that will all but eradicate every one of the Earth's monsters, up to & including Godzilla. Not only that, we'll place well-armed satellites above Earth to keep watch for any hostile alien forces that dare to even _think_ of conquering the planet & destroy them before they could have a chance to. Think of it: to be free of the monsters' destructive rampages & to no longer live in fear of them, wondering if one's own community will be attacked. Property damage won't cost a fortune to replace, & countless lives will be saved. It'll be a utopia for one & all across the globe. Perfect peace, as it were – something this planet has always wished for but never really achieved since humans came into existence. And all _you_ need to do, professor…"

Sudo grabbed a folder & opened it up, revealing a lone unsigned document that he placed in front of Tajima upon the desk, followed by a pen next to it.

"Is to sign this, making our merging & collaboration official", Sudo finished. "So then…do we have a deal?"

Tajima picked up both the document & pen & stared at it.

"Mr. Sudo, not that it wouldn't be a great success & all, but the thing with Tajima is…", Anna started to say but was interrupted by Akemi, gently taking her hand in hers.

"Anna, while our papa _is_ grateful for our support on this, it's something only _he_ should decide."

Staring into the pleading faces of Akemi, her sister & mother (both of whom nodded), Anna did so herself as she agreed to let Tajima make the choice himself.

Smiling their thanks, the group remained silent as the scientist read & contemplated on the document handed to him. Every person in the room waited with baited breath & anxiousness to hear what Tajima has to say.

After a minute or two of reading the document thoroughly, he makes his decision.

"Well, it _is_ a rather intriguing concept, I must admit", Tajima stated. "And your ideals of bringing 'perfect peace' to the world definitely leaves something to be desired across the globe, as it _has_ always been what world leaders have all longed for. However…"

Tajima gently placed the unsigned document & pen down on the desk, the gesture being quite clear.

"Professor Sugimoto…are you actually _refusing_ a partnership with our company?", Kubota says, his tone quite unhappy.

"More like declining", Tajima said.

"Mind if I ask why, professor?", Sudo asked. "This is literally a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! I doubt you'd get _another_ like this, even if you lived to be a million!"

"Intriguing as your offer may be, Mr. Sudo, I've started my company to become an independent one. Ever since its opening, I've never formed a partnership with another, & we've enjoyed great success on our own without having to rely on or answer to anyone but ourselves. It's been our way of life since the start, & we'd like to _keep_ it that way."

The group smiled proudly, seeing Tajima didn't sign with practically an unknown company even he's never heard of previously.

"I do wish you good luck on _your_ endeavors, Mr. Sudo, but you'll have to commence on them _without_ us", Tajima concludes. "Good day to you, gentlemen."

As one, the group turned & headed for the door but Kubota halted them briefly with an offering.

"Very well. But at least allow me to see you all to the main lobby – just to show there's no hard feelings."

"Thanks, Mr. Kubota, but we all remember how we got up here", said Rapunzel, getting nods from the rest. "I'm sure we'll be able to find the main lobby on our own."

Without another word, they all vacated the room & closed the door, leaving Kubota & his boss alone.

After a minute, Kubota spoke – this time in Japanese.

"Shall I get our security team to round them up & bring them back, Fumio?"

"No, that won't be necessary, Kubota", Fumio says. "Let them go for now, but don't worry: when the time comes to reveal ourselves, they – along with the _rest_ of the world – will soon become part of our organization, whether they like it or not. In the meantime, we still have ample amounts of work in order to accomplish our goal of perfect peace. Get in touch with our scientists below: I want full updates on _all_ our progress, & any errors won't be tolerated."

"Right away", Kubota said, exiting the room to commence with his chores.

Fumio sat alone in his chair & stared into space. His thoughts were on the achievements he's made thus far, along with the ones he plans on accomplishing in the near future as his brain formed images of what his idea of world peace will look like once his goals see fruition & are carried out. It is a utopia the likes of which Earth could never envision if it existed for another few billion years.

Luckily for Fumio, he & his people don't _have_ to wait that long to see _their_ dreams come true.

It would take a few years to a decade at most.

Fumio smiled at the future he could see that isn't too far off.

 _On the bullet train back to Tokyo, 4:00 p.m.:_

When Tajima & company reached the main lobby, they exited the building & were offered a ride by the ones who drove them to the building. Declining politely, Elinor stated that they will take a pair of taxis to the train station from across the O River. Once their taxis arrive & take them to their destination, Tajima & Hidemi paid the fare before boarding their ride back to Tokyo.

The ride between them stayed quiet until they were near the Yamanashi area.

"Is it just me, or is anyone else creeped out by those Kubota & Mr. Sudo fellas?", Rapunzel asks.

"They certainly gave _me_ the willies, Blondie", Eugene said. "Not even the Stabbingtons made me feel queasy as _those_ two have. Something about them is _really_ off."

"Can't argue on that", Kristoff said. "Why ask Tajima to form a merger between their company & his when the man's doing superbly well on his own without one? And why _now_ , of all times?"

"And their idea for perfect peace by creating weapons just to go & kill all the monsters on Earth? I don't care what _anyone_ says: that's overkill, plain & simple", Anna said.

"Once Sudo spoke of _that_ notion, I _knew_ something was amiss", Moana said. "Monsters they may be, this planet is as much _their_ home as it is ours. That alone is reason enough to be _very_ suspicious about the whole matter."

"And every time I _think_ about what Kubota & Sudo said makes me like it less & less", Maui adds. 'They're up to something, & I sincerely doubt it's to promote 'perfect peace' for the world."

"I also happened to notice something else", Merida says, looking at Elsa. "Mr. Sudo was looking directly at _you_ quite intently, Elsa. It _really_ made my skin crawl. You felt that way too, I bet."

"Now that you mentioned it, Merida…I _did_ feel a strange aura when he stared at me with those eyes of his", Elsa replied. "Like you, he made my flesh tingle, & _not_ in a good way…like I was crawling with maggots."

Just the mere thought gave Elsa the willies.

"Perhaps we should try digging into both their backgrounds", Elinor says. "If even Tajima's never heard of Sudo Sciences before today, a thorough history check should shed some light on who they are."

Tajima, Hidemi, Akemi & Emiko listened in on their conversation & had one of their own in their mother tongue.

"They have a point, papa", Emiko said. "Of all the major science facilities in Japan, why have we never heard of Sudo Sciences until today?"

"And for them to ask your company to join forces with theirs from right out of the blue like that _does_ raise more than a few red flags, papa", Akemi adds. "That's like giving away your life savings to a total stranger you've never met previously."

"I concur, Akemi, Emiko", Hidemi said. "Even if your father _is_ willing to form a partnership with another, he'd first look into every piece of history on both the building _and_ those that run it before even _considering_ such an option."

"That's _exactly_ what we'll do once we're back home, Hidemi", Tajima said. "Like you three & the rest, I want to know _who_ these people are, & _why_ they desire to have me _and_ my company as their adjoining partner. I feel there's a deeper agenda in all of this, & I need to discover what that is."

The rest of the train ride home was in silence.

They arrived home in Tokyo in the 5:00 hour.

 _Shikinomori Park, Midori Ward, Tokyo, Saturday, September 24_ _th_ _:_

Soon as they returned home from Osaka, Tajima went over to his computer & did a thorough search on both Sudo Sciences & those that ran it, with Maui & Moana doing the same on their own laptops. They discovered that Mr. Sudo – whose first name is Fumio – _is_ from a wealthy family, dating back over 200 years ago when Tokyo was still known as Edo. His background also shows that Fumio _had_ bought Osaka's Crystal Tower in early 2015, & with his own hard currency of over 100,000,000 yen. From that point forward, Fumio used the building in creating his own scientific work in complete secrecy, never allowing anyone outside the building's perimeter to take even a peek at what they labor on within. Not even the police or JSDF themselves were permitted entry for any reason.

When pressed for an answer, Fumio once stated in a newspaper that the building is private property, & only those who work there or get invited by Fumio himself are allowed inside.

Since then, hardly anybody's seen the inside of it.

It further worries the group about it, especially when Fumio mentioned creating weapons capable of killing any of Earth's monsters. Are they _actually_ able to conjure up something that can succeed in such a task when so many others have failed since Godzilla's first modern-day appearance in the world 62 years ago?

Of course, there was the Oxygen Destroyer that scientist Daisuke Serizawa unintentionally created which did the job of killing the original Godzilla in 1954 at the bottom of Tokyo Bay, turning the creature into bones.

But _all_ information of Serizawa's invention was burned by the man himself even before his device was used as a guarantee that his invention would never be duplicated or used as a weapon in any foreign land; because of its deadly properties, Serizawa's device contained more power than an atomic bomb.

He once stated that a simple spoonful of his device's power dropped into a body of water like Tokyo or Sagami Bay would turn it into a graveyard, & it would be even worse if used on the ground.

It was why Serizawa decided to die along with Godzilla on the bottom of Tokyo Bay, cutting his oxygen line & letting his device do the rest.

Ever since that day, no one could duplicate his invention, saving the world from another weapon to use upon its fellow man.

But could Fumio & his people somehow reconstruct Serizawa's Oxygen Destroyer? Have they found some way of replicating it without anyone knowing? Could _that_ be one of the reasons why Sudo Sciences is forbidden to have any visitors on its property, & why Fumio deemed it private?

It was spine-tingling to not know for sure, & there wasn't anything they could do about it; because Tajima all but declined his offer, neither he nor anyone in his family or their friends would be permitted access in the building, & will most likely be arrested should they try.

However, that's only _if_ they could: only Serizawa knew how it was made _exactly_ to his specifics, & with both his notes & himself long gone, it seems hugely unlikely they'd succeed.

Plus, whatever conventional weapons they create would probably be ineffective against creatures like Godzilla, Anguirus, Rodan & the like. Many other organizations from around the world have tried creating weapons to kill these monsters & boasted/bragged on how powerful they were, only to meet with disastrous results each & every time.

If Fumio & his people want to throw away their currency on weapons that will undoubtedly fail in the end, that's _their_ business.

As long as it has nothing to do with the Sugimoto family & their friends.

For the rest of the week, it went smooth: Tajima went to work daily & handled his daily routine; Kristoff went & took Sven, Merida & Angus to gather wood to restock their pile in preparation for the coming fall/winter months that wouldn't be far behind; Eugene, Rapunzel, Anna, Elsa, Maui & Moana worked on what songs they wish to perform at the annual fall festival which was to take place on Saturday at the Shikinomori Park, with Kristoff & Merida joining in once their chore was done; Olaf & Pascal enjoyed watching the football games from America online, cheering & jeering at each one they viewed from their performance.

It never ceased to amaze the group, no matter how many times they see it.

On Friday evening, the Sugimoto family took their visiting friends & animals over to Shiba Park to treat them to a trip right at the top of the city's iconic landmark.

Tokyo Tower.

Going up inside the elevator to the observation deck as Maximus, Sven & Angus wait at the bottom, Maui, Moana, Elinor, Merida, Eugene, Rapunzel & even Pascal (hiding in Merida's hair) were given a grand view of Japan's capital from hundreds of feet up, seeing it like a bird in flight. As Kristoff, Anna & Elsa did on their first trip up the tower, Merida & company took photos of Tokyo from their vantage point, getting them from each corner on the deck.

For most, it was reminiscent of when agent Philippe Roache took them up in the Eiffel Tower in Paris two months ago during their time in the City of Love.

And just as Philippe had then, Hidemi & her daughters gave Elinor & the others a history of the tower: designed by professor, engineer & architect Tachu Naito, the tower was started on its construction in June 1957, being completed one year later. Originally planned to be taller than New York City's Empire State Building, the idea was scrapped due to lack of funds & materials. Its two main revenue sources are both tourism & antennae leasing, which is primarily used for broadcasting radio & television stations across the city up until 2011, when the antennae tip became damaged by the Tohoku earthquake on March 11th of that year.

Since then, the Tokyo Skytree, located in the Sumida District, handles broadcasting.

Tajima made a note to take them over to _that_ particular tower before too long.

Akemi noted that Tokyo Tower gets a maintenance painting once every 5 years, & that it takes a full year to give the entire structure a thorough paint job.

Everyone whistled at that little piece of trivia, a fact even Kristoff, Anna & Elsa never knew despite being within the tower previously.

Anna also recalled an incident she learned when researching the monster files while on the Hayaku-Maru last year: it was in 1961 when Mothra came to Tokyo to rescue the Shobijin when they were taken from their home of Infant Island by a Rolisican capitalist named Clark Nelson, a malevolent man who used the girls for publicity & personal gain. When Mothra attacked Tokyo that year in her larval form, she attacked Tokyo Tower & bent it in half to use as the spot for her transformation from larva to adult in a matter of hours. Taking off into the air, Mothra flew to New Kirk City where Nelson took the Shobijin until he was killed by local police & his accomplices arrested. Being reunited on the runway, Mothra took her twin priestesses & flew home to Infant Island.

Eugene & Rapunzel also recalled that incident, having heard it from the Shobijin themselves shortly after Manu Ahi attacked Honolulu during their concert in April.

Maui & Moana were informed on it themselves, having their own database on all of Earth's creatures, including those which invaded from the far regions of space, ranging from King Ghidorah to Gigan.

Everyone was impressed on how much their two new friends knew of the monsters, with Merida & Elinor saying how resourceful they truly are – and not just when they go exploring like their ancestors used to do.

Both smiled at the compliment.

Heading down to ground level, the group ate at a nearby restaurant before calling it a night.

On Saturday, the day of the fall festival arrived as everyone dressed up in a kimono robe & wooden shoes called geta on their feet, a tradition in Japan that dates back centuries. Hidemi, Akemi, Emiko, Anna, Elsa & Elinor put their hair up in traditional Japanese style, with the Sugimoto sisters helping the former DunBroch Queen to make her seem more at home in the Land of the Rising Sun.

Elinor giggled at the notion but allowed the girls to style her hair in that sense.

Neither Merida nor Moana got _their_ hair styled in any fashion, saying they enjoy it loose & wild which reflect their personalities.

When Elinor replied that they were both two peas in a pod, Merida & Moana said 'we know' with big grins.

The group let out a big laugh.

Olaf asked for his friends to try get him another goldfish, as his previous one – Goldie – became a casualty when Masahiro's Yakuza members stormed the house last year, blasting the poor fish & his water bowl into smithereens.

Kristoff & company replied that they'll 'see what they can do'.

After thinking about it for a moment, Olaf simply said 'okay'.

That said, the Sugimoto family & their friends were off to the fall festival at Shikinomori Park!

Rather than take the bullet train, the family decided to get to the park by their own vehicle & the three steeds as Maximus carried Eugene, Rapunzel & Pascal, Sven took Kristoff & Anna, with Angus taking Merida & Elsa. All the rest went in Hidemi's vehicle as she drove her husband, daughters, Elinor, Maui & Moana towards the park as the three steeds followed close by, sticking with their guide like glue.

It took them over an hour to reach Shikinomori Park, but still made good time: upon arrival, they saw the festival in full swing as people in similarly-dressed attire, enjoying all types of activities/games such as ring toss, darts, or even samurai sword jousting with wooden weapons. Having never experienced Japanese customs before, Elinor decided to give the ring toss a try: with a trio of plastic rings, she was to try & get at least one ring onto a glass bottle & win a prize of a stuffed animal or other cute trinket. With her friends & daughter urging her on, Elinor used her skill to accomplish her task.

The first two tries were a bust, but the third time was definitely the charm as Elinor hooked her final ring upon a bottle, getting applause from everyone.

Her prize? Only an adorable necklace featuring a cute little figurine of Hello Kitty, the popular character created by Yuko Shimizu in 1974.

 _Just wait until Gus sees what_ I've _won!_ , Elinor thought with a big smile.

Many other fun/creative activities still awaited the group, but Kristoff & Eugene were eyeing the samurai sword jousting & wished to give it a shot. When they got their chance, both men got up on stage & placed on protective gear before receiving their wooden swords & going at it. Using his masterful acrobatic skills, Eugene had dodged, parried & blocked Kristoff's swings with his weapon while landing a good number of hits with his. On a final swing, Eugene slid under Kristoff & knocked him down on his back.

Even with protective padding, the outdoorsman felt every bit.

The former Flynn Rider even placed his wooden weapon near Kristoff's throat, indicating that he won & the bout has ended. With a nod & a smile, Kristoff grabbed Eugene's offered hand as he was helped to his feet & shook it.

All those watching clapped at the display as both men smiled & bowed in traditional Japanese style.

Merida was thinking of giving the wooden swords a chance, but then she saw something else that piqued her interest: an archery contest being held down further that was about to be completed. Moana also saw this & wished to join Merida in an archery match, wanting to test her mettle against the Scottish redhead.

Accepting her challenge, Merida & Moana each grabbed a bow with a quiver of arrows to begin their match.

All eyes were on the contest between Merida & Moana as each lady took an arrow, pulled back on their bow & let it fly. Each shot they fired scored a bullseye every time, impressing the crowd of family, friends & spectators alike. For each arrow that was launched, a bullseye was the foregone result & things were really heating up between them.

Offering each other a smirk, Merida & Moana pick up the pace & fire their arrows more rapidly, doing their best to outperform the other.

So far, both women were equally matched as neither one backed down.

The archery match lasted for a good fifteen minutes, with neither contestant becoming a clear winner.

It ended when both ladies declared a draw & lowered their weapons, facing & bowing to each other.

A chorus of applause erupted from the crowd as Merida & Moana smiled & rejoined their friends.

When Merida asked Moana how she got so good with archery, the brown-skinned girl replied that since she & Maui are explorers, they wanted to keep their wits sharp in case they're ever attacked on any of their voyages, knowing how to defend themselves.

Merida says it's good strategy, & that she can easily relate.

Both ladies embraced before the group went on to try out more activities.

Along with the games they played & sporting events they participated in, they also viewed showcases of various dances such as Nihon Buyo, Noh Mai & the ever-famous Kabuki – a dance style that began back in 1603, when all of Japan was under the Tokugawa Shogunate Period. People dressed in colorful kimonos, having their faces painted white & sporting umbrellas, lanterns & fans while instruments like the shamisen (a three-stringed guitar), the ko-tsuzumi (an hourglass-shaped drum), & takebue (a bamboo flute) made for some of the finest ever witnessed by the crowd, including Rapunzel & Merida's groups as they've never gotten the chance to see traditional Japanese customs take place before their eyes.

It also went for Maui & Moana, who've read about Kabuki & other Japanese dances but never experienced it in person.

To them, it was a wonderful sight to behold!

The day continued to be a fun adventure for the Sugimoto family & their friends, going from one event/showcase to another, experiencing many different Japanese customs & loving each new one they encounter. Eugene, Rapunzel, Elinor & Merida can certainly agree that staying in Japan with Elsa & company for their first get-together that _wasn't_ for a business venture like Moscow & Paris were (even though they _did_ have fun times there) became a smart idea.

Eugene & Rapunzel Benice, Elinor & Merida Fleming, along with Maui & Moana were absolutely _loving_ Japan, & they each let the Sugimoto family their feelings about their homeland.

It brought a huge smile on every one of their faces!

What brought an even _bigger_ smile was when they ran into Hiroshi & Roku-chan, both wearing kimonos as they ran into the scientist & his young nephew. Handshakes & hugs of greetings have made the event more frivolous than it was before with them joining the group, & the day was only going to improve from this point on.

Much as they loved the events of the fall festival, the _best_ part about it was the karaoke as people got on stage & sing their favorite songs from past & present to their best attempt. Many were quite masterful in singing the lyrics just as the original artist(s) have done, never missing a beat.

Aside from many not understanding the words to the majority of songs being sung, the audience still loved their performances nevertheless.

Then came the chance the Sugimoto family & their friends waited for, when Elsa & company take the stage – a feat they never fail in making it the most spectacular event they can. First up was Eugene Benice, who performed more songs with a novelty touch, such as 'Troglodyte' by the Jimmy Castor Bunch, & those who mainly had one hit in their careers like Bobby Bloom's 'Montego Bay'.

Novelty song or not, the audience enjoyed each one Eugene did, & now he does this hit from 1974 by artist Jim Stafford entitled 'Spiders & Snakes'.

A 1970s funk beat starts the song, with some female backup singers assisting the former Flynn Rider:

I remember when Mary Lou said

'You want to walk me home from school'

Well I said, 'Yes, I do'

She said, 'I don't have to go right home

And I'm the kind that likes to be alone

As long as you would'

I said, 'Me, too'

And so we took a stroll

Wound up down by the swimmin' hole

And she said, 'Do what you want to do'

I got silly & I found a frog

In the water by a hollow log

And I shook it at her

And I said, 'This frog's for you'

She said

'I don't like spiders & snakes

And that ain't what it takes to love me

You fool, you fool

I don't like spiders & snakes

And that ain't what it takes to love me

Like I want to be loved by you'

Well, I think of that girl from time to time

I call her up when I got a dime

I say, 'Hello, baby'

She says, 'Ain't you cool'

I say, 'Do you remember when?

And would you like to get together again?'

She says, 'I'll see you after school'

I was shy & so for a while

Most of my love was touch & smile

'Till she said, 'Come on over here'

I was nervous as you might guess

Still looking for somethin' to slip down her dress

And she said, 'Let's make it perfectly clear'

She said

'I don't like spiders & snakes

And that ain't what it takes to love me

You fool, you fool

I don't like spiders & snakes

And that ain't what it takes to love me

Like I want to be loved by you'

The song ended the same way it began, & Eugene grinned as the audience had clapped at his grand (& hysterical) performance before exiting the stage. Kristoff Sugimoto was up, doing more songs from his favorite Elvis Presley, as he does tunes from the King's career in the late 1960s with songs like 'Big Boss Man', 'Guitar Man', & this novelty number Elvis recorded in 1968 for his 'Almost in Love' album, written by Jerry Reed.

Kristoff does guitar work himself on this (mostly) talkative song, with male backup vocals & drums assisting:

I'm a U.S. male, 'cause I was born

In a Mississippi town on a Sunday morn

Now Mississippi just happens to occupy a place

In the southeastern portion of this here United States

Now that's a matter of fact, buddy

And you know it well

So I just call myself the U.S. Male

That's M-A-L-E, son, that's me

(The song's rhythm picks up as things get moving with the guitar)

Now I said all that to say all this

I've been watchin' the way you've been watchin' my miss

For the last three weeks you been hot on her trail

And you kinda upset this U.S. male

You touch her once with your greasy hands

I'm gonna stretch your neck like a long rubber band

She's wearin' a ring that I bought her on sale

And that makes her the property of _this_ U.S. male

You better not mess with the U.S. male my friend

The U.S. male gets mad, he's gonna do you in

You know what's good for yourself son

You better find somebody else son

Don't tamper with the property of the U.S. male

(Kristoff does a little guitar solo before continuing on vocals)

All right, all right

Let me tell you like it is, son

Through the rain & the heat & the sleet & the snow

The U.S. male is on his toes

So quit watchin' my woman, 'cause that ain't wise

You ain't pullin' no wool over this boy's eyes

I catch you 'round my woman, champ

I'm gonna leave your head 'bout the shape of a stamp

Kinda flattened out, so you'll do well

To quit playin' games with this U.S. male

You better not mess with the U.S. male my friend

The U.S. male gets mad, he's gonna do you in

You know what's good for yourself son

You go & find somebody else son

Don't tamper with the property of the U.S. male

Sock it to me one time…yeah

Look here, baby…all right

I'm gonna tell it like it is son

I catch you messin' 'round with that woman of mine

I'm gonna lay one on ya

You're talkin' to the U.S. male

The American U.S. male

The song's end also ended Kristoff's time on stage, receiving applause for his uncanny portrayal of his favorite once more as Kristoff exits with a smile, wave to the audience & a 'Thankewvermuch' quote from the King, sounding just like him – a tactic that never fails to amaze his family & friends alike.

Next up was Maui, who tried his luck as performing the songs of one of his favorites of all time – James Brown, the 'Godfather of Soul' as he was called. Maui did a number of tunes by the 'hardest-working man in show biz', as he had also been referred to like 'I got you (I feel good)', 'Papa's got a brand new bag', 'It's a man's man's man's world', 'Get up offa that thing' & others.

Maui never skipped a beat & did James Brown proud with his songs.

Like the Sugimoto family & their friends, Hiroshi & Roku-chan were amazed by Maui's singing talents.

They could only imagine how Moana would sound once _she_ got up on stage.

And get up on stage she does, but not alone: Elsa, Anna, Rapunzel & Merida all joined her to all sing as a group rather than as individuals. Each took turns in being lead singer on songs from groups like the Go-Go's, the Bangles & Fleetwood Mac, the latter of which they now perform several tunes from them such as 'Everywhere', 'Over My Head' & this tune which came from the group's colossal 1977 album 'Rumours'.

Anna Sugimoto & Moana let out their inner Stevie Nicks & Christine McVie as both take lead vocals on this soft rock tune:

Now here you go again

You say you want your freedom

Well who am I to keep you down?

It's only right that you should

Play the way you feel it

But listen carefully to the sound

Of your loneliness

Like a heartbeat, drives you mad

In the stillness of remembering what you had

And what you lost

And what you had

And what you lost

Thunder only happens when it's raining

Players only love you when you're playing

Say women they will come & they will go

When the rain washes you clean, you'll know

You'll know

(A brief soft rock interlude commences before Anna & Rapunzel continue vocals)

Now here I go again, I see the crystal visions

I keep my visions to myself

It's only me

Who wants to wrap around your dreams and

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?

Dreams of loneliness

Like a heartbeat, drives you mad

In the stillness of remembering what you had

And what you lost

And what you had

Ooh, what you lost

Thunder only happens when it's raining

Players only love you when you're playing

Women they will come & they will go

When the rain washes you clean, you'll know

Ooh, thunder only happens when it's raining

Players only love you when you're playing

Say women they will come & they will go

When the rain washes you clean, you'll know

You'll know

You will know

Ahhh, you'll know

Another wave of thunderous applause went to the group as each one smiled big & bowed in Japanese style to the audience before exiting the stage to allow others for their chance. The girls reunited with Tajima & company, as Emiko suggested getting nourishment after quite a karaoke show.

Seeing it as a great idea, everyone agreed.

The festival continued on until shortly after midnight, but the Sugimoto family & their friends departed just before 12:00 a.m..

Fall has officially arrived to Japan!

 **CHAPTER V**

 _Tokyo, Japan, Late September & Early October:_

Having seen Hiroshi's robot Jet Jaguar, going up Tokyo Tower _and_ attending the fall festival really gave everyone in Elinor's group a refresher in spirit & giving them a boost of vitality when they get together as one – something that's not frequent due to the separate countries they each reside in.

Because of these factors, the group were doing things as one every day for the duration of their time together: the wood for winter was getting collected by Kristoff & Merida, along with Sven & Angus to double the load & returning with more than enough to get the house through the coming cold months ahead. Anna, Elsa, Eugene, Rapunzel, Moana, Maui & even Elinor, Maximus, Pascal & Olaf went with the outdoorsman to lend _their_ assistance in collecting firewood, which Kristoff was grateful for.

When they saw the huge stacked pile of wood at their house (measuring twice their height), Eugene wondered if they might have gotten a little overboard.

All those who could speak said 'nah' before letting out a huge guffaw.

Most of their days went smoothly, with some being sillier than others.

But the thought of Tamatoa being dug up & taken by unknown people still lingered on the back of everybody's mind, never leaving due to the direness of the situation. There was also the factor of the new version of Mugal's mutagen found in the creature called Slashfang during his fight with Mothra, Anguirus, Baragon & Godzilla in Paris. Every effort was made by General Ernie, Commander Yoshi & Tajima's own self-named company to get to the bottom of each.

Unfortunately, no further developments were made despite their labors, as General Ernie was explaining on the Japanese scientist's laptop via webcam. Yoshi stood next to him on screen, looking doubtful.

"So, no new leads at this point?", Tajima asked in English.

" _Not on_ our _end any more than at yours, Tajima_ ", Ronald says. " _Believe you me, we've searched high & low at the exact areas where Maui & Moana saw them taking that Tamatoa creature, but couldn't find a thing. We've tried to use sonar, infrared & heat scanning, radar, satellite – you name it, we've used it. And we _still _came up goose eggs._ "

"Same as with the updated mutagen that created Slashfang", Hidemi adds. "My husband's company used every resource they could spare in tracking it down, with no success."

" _Meaning, we can't say for certain if it's Mugal's or someone else's who created it from scratch or a sample of the Black Hole Alien leader's_ ", Yoshi put in.

" _Whoever_ created this new mutagen _or_ is in possession of it, God only knows _what_ new monsters they can create with it", Akemi says. "It's a danger to the entire planet, & every day knowing it's still out there makes me shiver."

" _All the more reason for us to step up on patrols, sweetheart_ ", Ronald says. " _I feel for you too, Akemi: I myself get the willies with knowing something that hazardous exists on our planet. Believe me:_ nobody _wants this thing purged from Earth than yours truly & Yoshi here. We'll beef up our forces & even call in help from our allies in Australia & the like. We're not giving up on this yet, so please don't worry._"

"Then good luck to you both in your endeavors, General", Emiko said. "Our papa will continue in his: one of us is _bound_ to discover _some_ new clues as to where this new mutagen was made, along with locating & finding Tamatoa's hiding place."

" _Much obliges, Emiko_ ", Yoshi says." _We'll give you all an update in a week or so. If we're lucky, news will be a lot better than they were today._ "

General Ernie cut the feed before another word could be uttered, leaving Tajima's laptop blank.

Closing his device, he looked to his family with a worried face as they did so in return, unsure of what to say.

Hidemi suggested telling Elinor & the others of their progress, even though they _won't_ be too happy with their results.

Then again, neither were they.

Nodding, Tajima & his wife/daughters rose from their seats & called everyone in to the living room.

When they all gathered in said area, a full status report was presented by the scientist.

As predicted, none of them became pleased with the revelation.

 _The Valley of the Living Rock, Norway, 11:00 p.m.:_

Grand Pabbie sat upon his stone in solace, his eyes closed & his arms out in deep meditation. The ruler of the rock trolls has been in this position for over an hour, being disturbed by no one including his beloved Queen Hulda, as she tends to her people while her soulmate consults with the spirits.

Like an actual stone, Grand Pabbie hasn't moved even the slightest inch since he began.

That was about to change as Grand Pabbie was about to have a pair of visitors – ones he was expecting.

Appearing from behind, the Shobijin walk up to & stand in front of Grand Pabbie, who finally opens his eyes & sees his two little friends standing before him. Under normal circumstances, he'd be glad to see them & smile, as they would in return.

But he did not, giving the Shobijin an indicating that something troubled him – and them.

"Greetings, Grand Pabbie", the Shobijin say in Japanese. "We wish this could be a social visit, but you obviously know why we're here this evening."

"I certainly do, ladies", Grand Pabbie said in flawless Japanese. "No doubt both of you have been getting these unusual yet powerful vibes in recent days, which are getting stronger by each one that passes."

"Yes: these vibes we feel are releasing a powerful form of negative energy that grows exponentially every day. We cannot deny that this aura scares us & our people deeply. Even our guardian Mothra is deeply disturbed by this."

"No one can blame her or your people, Shobijin: I myself feel trepidation when I come into contact with it, & I fear for not only both our peoples & the world in general, but for Elsa & her family/friends. What's more, I'm afraid that what will soon transpire shall encumber & test their mettle like never before."

"You fear that they will be in gravest danger yet by this mysterious/powerful new enemy that has first surfaced in Russia, followed by France afterwards."

"Yes: the ones that created Slashfang are still out there, & even my abilities of contacting with the spirits cannot locate them. Despite the damage caused to him by Mothra, Anguirus, Baragon & Godzilla, I felt a very strong survival instinct within Slashfang. Somehow, against all odds, that creature still lives."

"Godzilla & the others have probably sensed that within Slashfang themselves, but declined to pursue as Mothra – the adult who suffered fatal wounds by the beast – needed their help in getting back to Infant Island."

"That adult died from her wounds…didn't she?"

With looks of sorrow, the Shobijin nodded.

"She did", they said. "Only days after reaching our home, the adult Mothra that battled Megaguirus & Slashfang lost her life from the wounds she received."

"My sympathies to you & your islanders", Grand Pabbie says. "But Mothra's legacy shall always live on in her young larva, the two of you _and_ her followers."

"Our thanks, Grand Pabbie. This new adult – who was birthed from her cocoon only days ago – will continue to carry on the fight her parent started, ready to defend Earth from these new enemies as the other monsters & Elsa's crew will do themselves when the moment arrives."

"Like you, I have every confidence that both parties will rise up to the occasion & do whatever it takes to bring down this new threat to the Earth. But…"

"But…?"

"I fear that not everyone will be surviving this venture, & it is hard to see who won't make it out alive. _That_ is my deepest regret, & what frightens me most."

The Shobijin stare at their friend in silence as they contemplate his words, their own sorrows building up. Both ladies fought their grief down before addressing their friend again.

"Your feelings on the matter reflect our own, Grand Pabbie", they said. "But we must _never_ permit our fears to prevent us doing what needs to be done, & neither will Elsa, Rapunzel & Merida's parties. They will all face whatever danger that gets thrown their way, defending their new home & adoptive families by any means."

Now it was Pabbie's turn to ponder on in silence about what the Shobijin relayed.

Having nothing else to go on, he nods.

"Yes, ladies", he says. "Regrettable as it may seem, Elsa, her family & her friends need to be prepared to face the coming storm. They will be thoroughly challenged, but will confront it with every iota of courage they can muster just like they've always done before. Scared as we are of the premonitions we've deduced, we must honor that."

The Shobijin nodded wordlessly before sitting down with Grand Pabbie, getting into a meditation pose like their good friend. Closing their eyes, both twin priestesses & rock troll elder sit in silence as they join with one another in spirit consultancy.

It went on throughout the night.

 _Beneath the Earth:_

The scientists overseeing Slashfang's condition were very pleased with his progress, as the creature was showing all life signs in the green & stable as can be. His strength still needs to be revitalized due to the upgrades he's been all but receiving, although readings show that he shall be at full strength once again soon by the deadline given to them from their leader.

At the end of the month of October, or very close to it.

This information was relayed to their leader via communicator, who was very happy with their progress & having every confidence in them on meeting the deadline.

Ordering them to resume with their work, the scientists obey to do precisely that.

In no time, Slashfang will be unleashed.

He now has less than a month to wait.

 _Shibuya District, Saturday, October 29_ _th_ _, 8:00 p.m.:_

While distraught & unhappy with the latest progress of finding Tamatoa or the upgraded mutagen, the Sugimoto family & their friends took to each day together as a gift, enjoying them to the fullest. And now that it was October, the group got into the Halloween spirit like they do every year by decorating the house & viewing lots of horror movies as characters like vampires, werewolves & such invade the television screen daily, with some even being played on their personal laptops.

Even Olaf & Pascal get into it deeply, having the idea of hiding in the most unlikely of places & popping out of them going 'Boo!' when people least expect it: one time, Olaf caught Hidemi with a basket full of dirty clothes in which made her toss her load all around, causing the snowman to giggle. But Olaf was scared immediately afterwards when a spider – a _real_ spider – crawled on the wall,, scaring _both_ of them as Olaf fell to pieces & Hidemi went to get Kristoff to get rid of it.

Collecting it in a jar, he set it loose in the backyard where it scurried off.

Olaf claimed that he wasn't _really_ scared before they all laughed.

In another hilarious incident, Pascal dressed himself as a mouse & scurried into Elinor's shirt in the rear, giving her a fright as he exited her right arm sleeve & into her hand. Believing him to be a real mouse, Elinor shrieked before Pascal removed his mini costume & made a noise that resembled giggling. Giving him 'the look', Pascal received the same treatment when Maui & Moana spooked the little lizard wearing cat masks that literally turned him yellow before leaping over to Rapunzel's shoulder & hiding in her hair.

Everyone giggled as Pascal did so as well, being able to laugh at himself.

Just another day of celebrating all things creepy!

On the 29th of the month, the group went over to the Shibuya District where a large Halloween celebration was being held by thousands each year, dressed in various costumes: some homemade, others store-bought. On this year of All Hallows' Eve celebrations in Japan, Tajima & Hidemi dressed up as Jack Skellington & Sally from Tim Burton's 1993 stop-motion extravaganza 'The Nightmare Before Christmas', with Akemi & Emiko dressed as Lock & Shock, two of three mischievous kids that deliver Santa to Mr. Oogie Boogie in the movie; Elinor decided to go as Emily, the Corpse Bride from the 2005 stop-motion movie of the same name, with her right arm & left leg painted to look as much skeletal as possible; Eugene & Rapunzel went as the Goblin King Jareth & Sarah, played masterfully by David Bowie & Jennifer Connelly from the 1986 movie 'Labyrinth'. It was the film's 30th anniversary, & Eugene & Rapunzel fell in love with it upon first view & wished to honor both it _and_ David Bowie himself, who passed away earlier in the year on January 10th at age 69, only two days after his birthday.

The rest decided to go with comic book characters: Kristoff & Anna dressed as the Joker & Harley Quinn from the movie 'Suicide Squad', played by Jaret Leto & Margot Robbie, with Elsa dressed as Katana, who was portrayed by Karen Fukuhara; Maui was dressed as Marvel Comics' Black Panther, portrayed by Chadwick Boseman in the movie 'Captain America: Civil War', with Moana dressed as Scarlet Witch & Merida as Black Widow, played by Elizabeth Olsen & Scarlett Johansson in the film.

Since both 'Captain America: Civil War' & 'Suicide Squad' were released in theaters over the summer, they felt it was the logical choice & went with it.

As for Pascal, he was dressed as one of the goblins in 'Labyrinth' as designed by Rapunzel herself which fit her little friend like a glove.

Even Hiroshi & Roku-chan joined the festivities, both of whom are dressed as the character of Herbert West from the 'Re-Animator' films, expertly played by Jeffrey Combs. They even came equipped with plastic syringes (minus the needles) that have a sticker wrapped around them to indicate them filled with a lime-green liquid.

With everyone arrived, the fun can really begin!

No matter where they looked, Halloween was all around & filled with people in various costumes, some of them being incredibly outrageous but no less eye-catching. Decorations/props of all kinds were displayed everywhere, from ghosts, witches, vampires, werewolves & the like to mainstream characters like Freddy Krueger from the 'Nightmare on Elm Street' films & Jason Voorhees from the 'Friday the 13th' franchise. Life-size displays of the Alien, Predator & even the Terminator T-800 exoskeleton were shown in all their glory.

There was also a magnificent & large model of the Kothoga monster from 1997's 'The Relic', starring Penelope Ann Miller & Tom Sizemore. Pics of that along with everything else were captured on cell phones.

A friendly pair of witches each pushed a cart filled with candies of all sorts & 16" orange, white, purple, clear & black helium-filled balloons that were handed out to kids & young adults. Anna & company also got their fair share of goodies, with each of the ladies & Roku-chan getting a balloon or two.

Music & dancing were in no short supply, & numerous performances on the streets as dancers in costume gave a spooky but memorable show to songs associated with Halloween/horror in general. Several patrons & even family were getting into the groove of things, dancing & singing songs to celebrate the event. One family did their own version of Oingo Boingo's 'Dead Man's Party', getting quite the rave from the crowd; a group of friends have done the same with Ministry's 'Everyday is Halloween', receiving the same results.

Never ones to pass up singing to a crowd, Eugene & Kristoff did some songs themselves as a duo, performing a group of tunes like 'Zydrate Anatomy' from the 2008 horror-musical 'Repo: the Genetic Opera' & 'It's A Monsters' Holiday' as performed by country legend Buck Owens, who died on March 25th, 2006 of an apparent heart attack at the age of 76.

It then became Maui's turn as he gave his own Halloween-themed songs, ranging from Captain Clegg's rocking 'Transylvania Terror Train', Jonathan Richman's 'Vampire Girl', & this number from the 1978 album 'Excitable Boy', which was the best-selling album of all time for singer-songwriter Warren Zevon, who died on September 7th, 2003 due to complications from lung cancer at age 56.

The song, 'Werewolves of London', is arguably his best-known, & Maui makes the late singer-songwriter proud with his rendition.

A piano & drums begins this fun novelty tune that is a favorite year-round:

I saw a werewolf with a Chinese menu in his hand

Walking through the streets of SoHo in the rain

He was looking for the place called Lee Ho Fook's

Gonna get a big dish of beef chow mein

Aaoooooo

Werewolves of London

Aaoooooo

Aaoooooo

Werewolves of London

Aaoooooo

You hear him howling around your kitchen door

You better not let him in

Little old lady got mutilated late last night

Werewolves of London again

Aaoooooo

Werewolves of London

Aaoooooo

Aaoooooo

Werewolves of London

Aaoooooo…heh

(A rock guitar interlude commences before Maui resumed on vocals)

He's the hairy-handed gent who ran amuck in Kent

Lately he's been overheard in Mayfair

You better stay away from him

He'll rip your lungs out, Jim

Heh, I'd like to meet his tailor

Aaoooooo

Werewolves of London

Aaoooooo

Aaoooooo

Werewolves of London

Aaoooooo

Well, I saw Lon Chaney walking with the Queen

Doing the Werewolves of London

I saw Lon Chaney, Jr. walking with the Queen

Ungh…Doing the Werewolves of London

I saw a werewolf drinking a pina colada at Trader Vic's

And his hair was perfect

Aaoooooo

Werewolves of London

Heh, draw blood

Aaoooooo

Werewolves of London

Maui grinned at the crowd as they applauded his performances before offering the spotlight on Rapunzel, Merida, Moana, Anna & Elsa – all of whom sing together on a bunch of Halloween tunes.

From songs like 'Halloween' as done by Siouxsie & the Banshees to 'Zombie Stomp' by Elvira, the girls give each song its own distinctive flavor while highly respecting the original artists. Their next & final number was originally sung in 1950 by singer/actress Rosemary Clooney, who died on June 29th, 2002 from complications of lung cancer at age 74.

The song is called 'The Wobblin' Goblin', a tune she recorded for children due to her huge affection for them, as she had several of them herself during her lifetime.

Having a quartet of male backup vocalists, the five ladies honor the memory of the legendary performer:

There once was a sad little goblin

Who had a broken broom

When he went anywhere, it would wobble in the air

And his heart would fill with gloom

He tried so hard to fix it every night

But he just couldn't get it working right

The Wobblin' Goblin with the broken broom

Could never fly too high

For right after take-off

Another piece would break off

And soon he would be danglin' in the sky!

Each evening just as he would leave the ground

His radio would say

(Control tower to goblin)

(Your broomstick is wobblin')

(You better make a landing right away)

It soon got so he could only ride

When the witches took him piggy back

Until at last, he used his brain

And bought himself an aero-plane!

So if you look for him on Halloween

You'll see him zip & zoom

No harm can befall him, no longer can they call him

The Wobblin' Goblin with the broken broom!

(A musical interlude with piano, accordion & other instruments took over before the girls finished up)

The Wobblin' Goblin with the broken broom

Could never fly too high

For right after take-off

Another piece would break off

And he would soon be danglin' in the sky!

Each evening just as he would leave the ground

His radio would say

(Control tower to goblin)

(Your broomstick is wobblin')

(You better make a landing right away)

It soon got so he could only ride

When the witches took him piggy back

Until at last, he used his brain

And bought himself an aero-plane!

So if you look for him on Halloween

You'll see him zip & zoom

No harm can befall him, no longer can they call him

The Wobblin' Goblin with the broken broom!

Anna & company get the exact reception Maui & the boys did, smiling in appreciation to the crowd.

The night was still young, & the group stayed in Shibuya's Halloween extravaganza until close to midnight.

 _Beneath the Earth:_

Despite the meds keeping him calm, Slashfang was restless in his chamber: his pulse was rising fast, & his level of adrenaline was close to being off the charts. He felt his strength at full 100% capacity, with an overwhelming desire to head out & cause as much mayhem as possible. The growling he does in his chamber was boisterous even at a low volume, & he looks about ready to smash his way out of his prison before his creators permit him to be free.

The head scientist relays the information to his leader & second-in-command, asking what they should do at this point.

Both leaders stared at Slashfang on the monitors & saw how infuriated their creation was becoming. Each of his primal instincts was screaming to be let out of his cage & go on the hunt for his prey. They surmised that any longer in his cage would cause Slashfang to go beyond their control, & any attempt to get him back on their leash could prove to be all but fatal to them _and_ their plans.

It was something that couldn't take place, leaving them with only one recourse.

"And you're positive that Slashfang's vitality stands at 100%?", asked the second-in-command.

"That we are, sir", said the head scientist. "With the pain he endured from his upgrades now subsided, Slashfang is at the pinnacle of his stamina. He's ready to go."

The two commanders look to each other before the #1 in charge gives the order.

"Very well. Release him now!"

"Yes sir!"

At the push of a button, the chamber holding Slashfang opens up, spilling his medicinal fluid all over the floor of the large cavern that has been his home since his birth. Free of his prison, the creature unleashed a tremendous roar that echoed the cavern as the sound vibrated off the walls while the Smilodon beast spread his arms to release the tension he felt in them for nearly three months, along with the rest of his body.

Releasing his rage onto the chamber that held him, Slashfang used his claws to slice & pulverize it into shredded, useless metal & glass, ensuring two positive facts.

Slashfang _hated_ being caged up like some zoo exhibit, despite its function to help him.

He will _never_ be contained again.

Taking a survey of his surroundings, Slashfang bellowed in rage before remembering the water over at the end of the cavern – the same one which allowed him to exit & return to the cavern with ease & away from prying eyes.

Wasting no time, Slashfang went over to & dived under the water, disappearing from sight in just moments. Only a small pond of bubbles marked his location, & he was already heading through the undersea tunnel to freedom.

Both leaders & their group of scientists watched Slashfang tear apart his chamber & make for the exit.

Each of them were proud to be unleashing their creation out into the world again, & they smiled fiendishly.

"Godspeed in your search for prey, Slashfang!", said the second-in-command.

Both he & his boss let out a laugh that echoed throughout the room.

 **CHAPTER VI**

 _The Southern Islands, the Pacific Ocean, Sunday, October 30_ _th_ _, 6:00 p.m.:_

A crisp, clear night greeted the Islands of Monsters as the lands were bathed in glittering stars high above, with waves being collective & calm as the Pacific decides to be in a relaxing mood on this evening.

It was a peaceful & serene night to the masses of earth that housed the world's giant monsters.

But on _one_ of these islands, a situation was brewing that was anything _but_ peaceful: a half-dozen of the praying mantis creatures known as the Kamacuras has stumbled into the territory of the monster spider Kumonga, who has spun a funnel opening out of his silk from the mouth of his cave. The giant arachnid & insect group have been in a series of disputes with one another for the month of October on territory claims, with Kumonga repeatedly warning the praying mantis creatures not to invade on what he deemed as his property. Kamacuras' party argued that they have every right to hunt for food in the area as he does, thus beginning the month-long quarrel that has now gotten more aggressive.

Kumonga gave a series of last-minute warnings to go hunt elsewhere, lest they end up with becoming the spider's dinner – repeatedly.

Refusing, the Kamacuras stood their ground, forcing Kumonga to step out of his cave & confront the troublesome insects to teach them manners about invading another's territory uninvited.

A brawl between insects & arachnid was about to ensue – and _would've_ ensued – when they were each hit by a sudden scent that struck their instincts/sense of smell as each of them turned to the water to see a wake that was quickly approaching their homes. Upon first thought, they believed it was the Monster King returning home after venturing off to wherever he roamed at.

But no: this was an entirely _different_ scent, one they've _never_ smelled before, & right away both Kumonga & the Kamacuras felt that danger was about to arrive at their home.

Putting their territory squabble aside, they tend to this intruder as two of the Kamacuras took to the air & flew on over the water to investigate what this new threat is. Keeping above the water at 10 meters, the Kamacuras pair flew in closer to the wake that was still heading for land.

When they arrive at it, something whipped out of the water & struck both flying insects with a great speed that was almost too quick for the eyes to see. A wet sound of flesh being sliced echoed in the air as pieces of the Kamacuras went soaring in different directions, splashing onto the water in puddles of lime-green ichor before sinking below.

The remaining Kamacuras & even Kumonga immediately sent out cries of warning that the islands have a deadly intruder in their midst.

From the edge of their island, Battra (in larval form) responded to the S.O.S.: swimming out to meet the invader, Battra fired a volley of prism beams from both his eyes _and_ his horn at the wake he quickly approaches. His aim is true, having scored a direct hit on the enemy but not slowing it down. Battra kept up his barrage as the unknown object/foe continued heading straight for him.

When it got close enough, it took hold of Battra & pulled him under as the insect larva disappeared from sight.

Manda was peering at the spot from his vantage point where Battra was dragged beneath the surface before a big light show from underwater as it lit up with thunderous booms that could be seen & even felt from where they stood. A series of blasts from Battra's prism beams went on for several minutes before the underwater light show abruptly ceased as things went quiet for a period of time.

In a giant geyser of water, Battra resurfaced & retreated back to the island, his exoskeleton cut/stabbed in places as his bodily fluids spilled into the drink. Manda wanted to go assist the injured larva, but Battra issued a warning that the new enemy was very tough even for him, & that it was something _they_ couldn't handle.

He added that the 'bigger guns' were needed in handling this threat.

Battra painfully waded to shore as the intruder continued towards the main island of the archipelago.

As Battra went to shore to lick his wounds, the young Rodan was busy eating his dinner brought to him by none other than Godzilla Junior, who had promised to keep a close eye on the young creature while they were away. They'd been alone for hours since dawn, & Junior tended to Rodan's little protégé by standing guard & feeding him whenever he got hungry, chowing down on large lizard-like creatures & giant fish Godzilla's own young protégé manage to catch in his jaws. Since claiming his young hatchling in Fukuoka from Koji Matsuo in a plot to kill them both, Rodan kept his hatchling safe on an uncharted island – now identified as Adona Island – for a few months until he'd grown enough to become an inhabitant on the islands where all of the other monsters resided: he now looks like an exact replica of his parent/sibling at twenty meters tall with a wingspan of 60 meters, but still had stubs of horns in the rear of his head that weren't fully developed but will in time.

Upon first sight of the hatchling, Godzilla Junior took an instant liking to him & created a bond with one another.

Every opportunity Junior had to be with Rodan's hatchling, he took it.

The sudden aura of danger stung their nostrils as both young creatures turned to the water to see a small wake on its way towards landfall. The monster lobster Ebirah was in close proximity of this wake as he lay in the water with his shell floating on the surface, looking somewhat like an island himself. Rising from his resting place, the lobster creature turned to see the wake coming near the island & was instantly struck by the malevolence it came with.

Letting out an angry screech from his maw, Ebirah swam out to face it.

Urging Little Rodan to stay put, Godzilla Junior walked over to the edge of the beachhead to see the trouble that has infested their homes.

Raising his clawed/pointed hands, Ebirah issued a warning to the new enemy to either turn away & retreat or face a world of hurt for disobeying.

The intruder blatantly ignored the lobster's warning & surges forth.

Blaring another threatening screech, Ebirah points his left claw forward as he drew his giant open right claw back, ready to first poke then grab the enemy in a swift attack to convince it to go away.

Sadly for Ebirah, the only 'swift attack' made was on him: as it did to two of the Kamacuras before, the intruder swiped its claws at Ebirah's left, slicing it off before giving the monster lobster a slash on his underside, causing him to cry out in pain from losing half of its limb & getting wounded on his soft underside.

Hurt in two areas & unable to continue the fight, Ebirah has no choice but to retreat.

He hopes the ones on the islands can do much better than he has.

Godzilla Junior saw the transaction in the water & put some space between himself & whatever's approaching the land: after witnessing what it did to Ebirah & the fact that he cannot fight what he cannot see, Junior took precaution & gained some distance to get a better look at the uninvited & violent guest.

The young monster didn't have long to wait to see the intruder in full view.

Slashfang rose out of the water like a swamp creature from a horror movie, only he looked different from when he invaded Paris three months ago: although there were still areas where his flesh/fur are exposed, the Smilodon beast had metal armor plating on his legs, arms, chest, back & covering the top half of his head like a mask with eye ports to see out of. His forearm gauntlets each sprouted a trio of long curved metal claws that were twice the length of his hands.

His tail, lower jaw & large fangs were left exposed, looking exactly as they did before.

In the three months he escaped from Paris, Slashfang had an upgrade that made him look half-machine or even as an overgrown gladiator, ready to compete in games of the Roman Empire.

But Slashfang wasn't interested in playing any games.

He was keen on hunting his prey before feasting on their flesh afterwards.

And both Godzilla Junior & Little Rodan were intended to become his first victims.

The Smilodon beast bellowed a roar that echoed throughout the island.

Godzilla Junior thought otherwise: letting out a roar of his own that was higher in pitch than his older siblings', Junior shot forth a blast of his heat ray at Slashfang, who dodged the hit & ran off to stay ahead of the projectile as the young monster followed his enemy with his weapon, scorching many of the vegetation & ground wherever it went.

Not once had Junior struck Slashfang with his heat ray, as the Smilodon beast moved in a speed that belied his size. Slashfang even _leaped over_ Junior's primary weapon – a move which all but surprised the young monster & caused him to cease his ray.

It gave Slashfang the opening he was looking for: leaping into the air with all of his might, he closed the distance between himself & Godzilla Junior, who barely dodged over to the left just as Slashfang struck with his claws, missing Junior by only inches & driving them into the ground where he was at only seconds ago. Using this as his chance to hit back, Junior unleashed his heat ray again at the Smilodon beast, hitting him in the top of his head at point-blank range.

A roar of anguish from Slashfang was blood-curdling as the creature literally felt then scorching heat above him.

Junior kept it up for over a minute before ceasing, watching as Slashfang slumped slightly on his feet with his right-hand claws still embedded in the dirt.

Proceeding with utmost caution, Junior approached the Smilodon beast to make sure he was really dead.

Like a striking cobra, Slashfang pulled his claws out of the dirt in a move that stunned Junior before raking at the young monster with his left claws, catching Junior off-guard. The swipe cut him diagonally across the stomach & chest that left bleeding cuts which caused Junior to cry out. Slashfang followed it up with a swift kick of his right foot into Junior's solar plexus with such strength that sent the young beast soaring through the air before landing with a shattering thud as he slid across the ground over to where Little Rodan was at.

A cry of anguish escaped Junior as one of desperation exited Little Rodan's.

Like an actual saber-toothed tiger, Slashfang stalked closer to both young creatures as he extends his arms out, ready to do to them what he did to the Kamacuras.

Even if not fully developed, Little Rodan shot forth his uranium heat beam at the oncoming terror, which more or less bounced off Slashfang's armor as it struck him in the chest, doing no damage & not even slowing him down.

Fearing for his safety, the young creature took to the air to get help.

Slashfang was having none of it: leaping up, he swiped at the escapee in an attack that also left bleeding cuts on his chest, another area not fully developed enough. Little Rodan cried out as the pain was making him lose concentration on his flying & the young flyer plummeted to the ground, landing near Junior.

The wounds they sustained from their enemy made them unable to rise up & escape, let alone fight back.

Having them at his mercy, Slashfang moves in for the kill – his first ones of the night.

Or so he thought: while attending to Junior & Little Rodan, another of the island's inhabitants was watching in the cover of trees as this new enemy gave both young creatures a thrashing with its metal claws & fighting prowess – one that was even _worse_ than the ones _he_ used to give the monsters that were smaller than he is.

When Slashfang bellowed a roar as he approached his would-be prey, the observer used it as his chance to go on the offensive.

Running up to Slashfang while his back was turned, the newcomer – Gabara, the one-time monster bully – leaped at the Smilodon beast & climbed onto his back, catching him off-guard. With a firm grip on his head & chest, Gabara unleashed his electrical attack upon this new & powerful enemy, using every bit of juice he could muster. Slashfang's muscles felt like they were getting stiff, & be bellowed a roar of anguish as he tried shaking off his new attacker.

No matter how hard he tried, he could not shake Gabara off as the ogre monster kept his electrical barrage up on Slashfang, letting out roars of his own in rage & determination. Like a wild buck at a rodeo, Slashfang slashed, kicked & swiveled every which way to get the ogre creature off, to no avail.

If Slashfang doesn't do something soon, the freedom he desperately craved will be short-lived.

One thought entered his mind even as it was convulsing with electric voltage: using what strength in his legs he has, Slashfang made a leap into the air that was not as high as before, but was hopefully enough to go get the job done. Tilting his body backwards, the two combatants fell from a height of thirty meters as Gabara landed hard on the ground, the extra weight from Slashfang adding to the pressure on his body. This caused the ogre monster to finally release his quarry as the Smilodon beast rose from the ground, albeit in a slightly awkward manner due to the electric voltage that Gabara pumped into him.

Even with his armor taking the majority of the shock, Slashfang was still hurt badly by this ogre creature with the teal/turquoise flesh, peach chest, orange hair & glowing horn on its head.

And it was even smaller than he was.

Slashfang was going to make sure it can never be a problem again: as Gabara got up on his feet, Slashfang swiped at the ogre creature's face, causing a trio of bleeding cuts that made Gabara to cry out in pain as blood hit his eyes that obscured his vision. Unable to see where his enemy is, Gabara received a series of hits & kicks from the Smilodon-like creature in a brutal physical attack which left scars/bruises all over Gabara's body like he's never been dealt before.

This assault was kept up for two minutes before Slashfang placed his left foot into his face, causing him to slide over near Godzilla Junior & Little Rodan, both of whom were helping each other get back up on their feet.

It was too little, too late: Slashfang leaped at the trio of monsters, eager to take their heads off with a single swipe or two.

From out of nowhere came a huge spiked ball that crashed into the Smilodon beast, causing a powerful vibration that was felt for miles before Slashfang was battered to the ground by the hit. Crashing hard, the spiked ball has unfurled itself as the Smilodon beast shook off the cobwebs in his head to see what hit him.

His anger & rage increased exponentially when he saw who it was.

Anguirus stood on all fours & stared daggers at the returned Smilodon beast, his own hatred of the creature even more intense: he still remembered the beating he received from this vicious monster when they first feuded in Russia, later on sparring in Paris. The wounds he got from his enemy may have fully healed, but the spiked creature still feels them as if being inflicted only yesterday.

It was the same for Slashfang, & both monsters roared loudly in pure hate for one another before they ran towards & collided in a vicious clash that shook the earth they walked on: like two angry pit bulls, Slashfang & Anguirus fought in ravenous fury that involved scratching, biting, slashing & pounding at each other, their deep loathing giving them an extra boost of strength even as wounds were inflicted upon each.

Then Anguirus gains the upper hand: doing a full 360 degree turn, he wallops his enemy in the chest with his tail which caused a clanging as loud as any church bell, sending Slashfang backwards to a distance of 90 meters, landing on his back. When the Smilodon beast got back up, he was assaulted by a blast of uranium heat, only _this_ beam was a _lot_ more powerful than Little Rodan's, & it drew Slashfang back several steps.

Afterwards, he was blown back even further by a powerful sonic boom caused by the _adult_ Rodan as he passed by the Smilodon beast, unleashing as strong a hit as he could.

Like his namesake, the 'Samurai of the Skies', Rodan flew in at Slashfang repeatedly & attacked the creature at every angle, striking him with blinding speed & uranium heat beam assaults that kept the beast confused before going in for a more physical/brutal attack. Just as any parent would for their younglings, Rodan savagely assaults Slashfang with clawed feet, powerful wing buffets, uranium heat beam & even stabbing with his pointed beak that caused bleeding punctures whenever it hit flesh.

But even under savage attack, Slashfang refused to give in: when the chance was given him, he swiped at Rodan with both his claws to slice off a limb or at the very least cut him open like a Thanksgiving turkey. But Rodan sensed it before the attacks could come, & he got himself out of their path before even one metal claw so much as nicked him anywhere. Rodan stayed well out of Slashfang's reach even as the Smilodon beast leaped up to slice him.

Some well-placed uranium heat beam shots on his chest didn't do any damage, but it _did_ keep his feline foe good & angry.

Good & angry enough so that Slashfang doesn't see the new threat coming at him.

Until it was practically on top: while focusing on Rodan, Slashfang failed to see Baragon – _another_ monster with a literally burning hatred for him – enter the battlefield & unleashing a belch of flames from his toothy maw that struck Slashfang on the side, scorching his fur but staying mostly safe from the majority of it thanks to his armor. Following the brief flame bath, Baragon rammed into his hated foe once he turned to face him, colliding with the creature in the chest, the armor he wore saving him yet again from a deadly impalement from his nose horn.

Knocking him down on his back, Baragon raked at the Smilodon beast with his claws & swatted his enemy with his tail before leaping back to where his comrades stood at, giving Slashfang no chance to cause _him_ any harm.

The Smilodon beast stood up almost immediately despite the injuries he received & stared at the monsters which stared back in defiance: Godzilla Junior, Little Rodan & Gabara may be in no condition to fight, but Anguirus, Baragon & the adult Rodan most certainly _are_.

With eyes of fire & rage as hot as a nuclear reactor, Slashfang was all but prepared to face three opponents if it meant satisfying his bloodlust.

From his left, the lizard monster Varan swooped in on his membrane flaps between his legs & arms & landed on the ground next to Baragon, unleashing a blaring roar; the aquatic dinosaur Titanosaurus made himself known by letting out his elephant-like roar as he appeared from behind; the theropod dinosaur creature Gorosaurus appeared close behind, his own predatory eyes locking onto the Smilodon beast's; the hominoid siblings Gaira & Sanda both appeared from the right, standing by the sides of Little Rodan & Godzilla Junior; the 'Pretender to the Throne', Zilla, has also showed himself to be at the young monsters' sides, along with Gabara's.

Each monster unleashed furious bellows, grunts & roars that told Slashfang 'Why don't you go pick on somebody your _own_ size?', 'Let's see how you handle _real_ challenges!', & 'You're good at picking a fight with younger creatures, so why not try _me_ on for size?'.

For every taunt/threat to Slashfang, it fueled his abhorrence for each of them; he would like nothing better than to take them _all_ on, be it one at a time or even as an entire group.

If he should die in the attempt, it was a sacrifice Slashfang was worth fighting for: either he gets to roam around in the world free as a bird, or he goes down swinging & take as many of his enemies as he could.

A growl escaped his hungry maw that started to rise, preparing to go down in a blaze of glory.

His growl became a boisterous screech of pain as a blue-white heat beam struck Slashfang from behind, scorching the metal but still saving him from serious harm. Turning to the water, the Smilodon beast caught sight of a trio of large dorsal spines attached to another creature that was also very familiar to him.

Rising up from the depths of the water, Godzilla bellowed an ear-shattering roar that was full of rage & hostility as only a family member having his kin attacked by an enemy could possess.

Like with Anguirus & Baragon, seeing Slashfang still alive was bad enough for Godzilla, but as it is with Rodan, having this savage creature go after & attack a member of his family really put the Monster King in a stage of burning resentment & loathing that was all but lethal to opponents: if you should make Godzilla abundantly angry, the best you can hope for is a quick death.

But Godzilla will see to it that Slashfang suffers slowly in the worst possible way before putting him in the ground – and this time, he'll make sure it's _permanent!_

Looking at Godzilla, turning to the other monsters on the island & back again, Slashfang weighed his options & discovering he hasn't that many: with Godzilla now joining the foray, the fierce feline most likely wouldn't stand that much of a chance in winning a victory should he decide to go for broke.

Even the best poker player knows when to cut his losses, & Slashfang was smart enough to know when he's more than outmatched.

To remain & fight _this_ vicious crowd is to gain nothing but a pointless death, & Slashfang wasn't ready to lose his newfound freedom to them.

Unleashing a bellowing roar of abhorrence, the Smilodon beast ran off to enter the water at an area not occupied by Godzilla or _any_ of the island's monsters.

Issuing furious roars themselves, Zilla & Gorosaurus take off after their quarry in hot pursuit.

Godzilla's instincts wanted to pursue Slashfang himself, but wished to check on Junior to make certain he was okay from the feline monsters' attack. Anguirus, Baragon, Rodan, Gaira & Sanda all made sounds indicating they each will see to Little Rodan _and_ Junior's safety, & that he _should_ join Zilla & Gorosaurus in taking down their enemy once & for all.

With Godzilla's high trust in them (especially in Anguirus), the Monster King grunted his thanks before going underneath the water & swimming off to catch up with Zilla & Gorosaurus, both of whom have just entered the water themselves shortly after Slashfang had done so.

As the inhabitants deal with helping the injured, Zilla, Gorosaurus & Godzilla go after the perpetrator & vow to follow them to the ends of the Earth if need be.

The predator has now become the prey!

 _The South Pacific, Monday, October 31_ _st_ _, 7:00 a.m.:_

With its engines humming/vibrating in the water, the crew of the Australian submarine – the Dingo – was going about its daily routine & maintenance, checking all areas & fixing anything faulty or malfunctioning & do so quickly & decisively like they were trained to in keeping their underwater tub running smoothly as can be.

The men have been doing so after having breakfast when they were awoken at 5:30 in the morning before the sun even came up.

Because of their textbook maneuvers, the Aussie Navy vessel was in its best shape & performance, pleasing the captain & his first mate very highly as both men smile proudly, happy with the crew they've been given.

Over by the radar, a blip caught the men's attention as the captain & first mate approached the operator, who had begun working on pinpointing the place of origin.

"Sounds like you might have caught something, son", said the captain. "Care to fill me in on it?"

"More than just 'something', captain", said the radar operator. "According to this, we seem to have picked up on a _quartet_ of somethings, sir – one of them being closely pursued by three behind it, each one heading directly towards our current position. They're moving in speeds in excess of over 40 knots, sir!"

"That can't be right, captain", said the first mate. "We aren't scheduled to be meeting anybody today, let alone be involved in any kind of war games. Did _you_ by chance arranged for this, sir?"

The captain shook his head.

"Not at all", he said, turning to the radarman. "Send these vessels a message, son. Find out who these blighters are, where they're going & what their purpose is."

Nodding, the man picked up a radio transmitter & began speaking into it.

"Attention, unidentified vessels: this is the Australian Navy submarine the Dingo. You are currently on a course at our present position. Please give your identification, destination & purpose for being in these waters, over."

Thirty seconds have passed with no answer from any of them.

"Address them again, son", said the first mate. "And this time, tell them that unless they _do_ identify themselves, they'll be forcing us to take action against them."

Nodding, the man does as ordered.

"I repeat, this is the Australian Navy sub the Dingo. You are on a direct course where we are currently stationed at, & should you _not_ respond to our orders in the next minute, we will be forced to fire upon each & every one of you. I repeat: answer us at your earliest convenience, or you _will_ be shot at. Over."

The sub remained silent to await an answer from any of the objects swimming for their position.

None was forthcoming in the time allotted.

"That settles it, then", said the captain. "Get to your stations, men: we're going on red alert as of now!"

"Yes sir!", the men cried before klaxons blared within the sub as the crew went into combat mode.

"Turn this tub 90 degrees to the right!", said the first mate. "Once the captain gives the order, you're to fire two torpedoes at the closest object of that school!"

"Roger that, sir!", said one man, directing the vessel at said position.

The Dingo turned slowly but surely towards the objects heading their way before a seaman announced that all is ready & willing to go.

"Launch the first two torpedoes!", the captain said.

As one, a pair of powerful MU90/Impact torpedoes shot forth from the tubes at the Dingo's front, racing forth at a speed of 50kt in parallel of one another. The crew announced their departure & wait as the projectiles raced towards their targets, none of which have changed their course even in the slightest.

Nearly two minutes have passed before the sub gets rocked by powerful explosions that sent vibrations through each man's body, feeling like they've been shook by King Kong.

"Somebody give me a status report on the objects!", the captain barked. "Have they been destroyed?"

The crew checked their instruments to get confirmation before an answer is given.

"Negative, sir!", said one crewman. "The objects are still gaining & even increased their speed!"

"Captain!", cried another crewman. "At the trajectory these objects are traveling, they're definitely going to reach Australia by this evening unless they're stopped!"

"Can I get an exact location, son?", the captain asked.

"Sir, they could reach either Brisbane or Sydney by that time, but according to these calculations, sir…I'd put my money more on _Sydney!_ "

"That's _not happening_ , son – not on _our_ watch!", said the first mate. "America's two presidential candidates are paying our fair city a visit for their electoral campaign, & we don't need any trouble brewing at home to louse things up! Whoever these guys are, they are _not_ to even get _near_ Australia, no matter what! Understood?!"

"Yes sir!", the men said firmly.

"Good!", said the captain. "Now…launch another pair of torpedoes at the closest object, followed by launching two more right after! Let's see if it'll stand up to a quadruple whammy!"

"Copy that, sir! Firing now!", said the man in charge of weapons.

The sub had vibrated as a new pair of MU90/Impact torpedoes left their ports, followed almost immediately by a second pair. One helmsman made the announcement as the projectiles make their way to the target.

"Torpedoes are quickly closing in on the oncoming object which is still on course at our position, sir! Impact shall commence in ten…nine…eight…seven…six…five…four…three…two…one…"

Not one explosion occurred, & the helmsman stared in silent shock.

 _What happened? Did we miss?_ , thought the captain.

Ten seconds later, a quartet of blasts struck something that rocked the sub more violently than before that nearly caused the men to fall to the steel deck.

"What in the name of MacArthur just happened?!", the first mate demanded, getting his bearings.

"Sir, the first object _dodged_ the torpedoes at the very last second!", said the helmsman.

"So what _did_ they hit?!", demanded the captain.

"Sir, all four projectiles struck one of the objects behind it, and…"

The man swallowed before continuing.

"It still wasn't destroyed, sir", he said in a voice that was anything but powerful.

Both captain & first mate turned to each other, speechless & unsure of what to say: no vessel – underwater or not – can dodge torpedoes with that kind of speed, & _none_ can survive a hit from four projectiles & come through the ordeal unscathed, let alone from only two.

For anything to move at _that_ speed would be virtually impossible. Unless…

"These aren't submarines!", the captain & first mate whispered to each other, their faces full of fear.

Regaining their composure, the captain bellowed orders as he pointed to the one who worked the radio.

"You there! Send an S.O.S. to Sydney _immediately!_ Tell them to get the authorities to start evacuation procedures at once by order of the Aussie Navy!"

Nodding, the man went to work without hesitation.

"Attention, Sydney! Attention, Sydney! This is the Australian Navy speaking! We have incoming bogies that are heading directly for the city! You are to begin evacuation at once! This is not a drill, repeat, this is not a drill!"

As the radioman continued sending the danger warning, Slashfang reached the Dingo a minute & a half later as he struck the sub's underside with his metal claws, creating a trio of cuts into the hull that let in seawater. Men screamed as the interior of the sub filled with water as several drowned instantly, their lungs filling with fluid in seconds.

With another strike from his claws, Slashfang hit the sub's internal power core, causing it to explode with all its crew hands lost. The blast was powerful enough to throw the ferocious feline across the water before he was able to get his bearings & resume his course straight for the capital city of the New South Wales portion of the country.

Ignoring the floating twisted metal & lifeless bodies of the Dingo, Zilla, Gorosaurus & Godzilla continue on the trail of the ferocious feline.

Roars of determination & rage echoed through the water.

 _Potts Point, Sydney, Australia, 6:45 p.m.:_

Aside from the Dingo being destroyed with all hands lost, the S.O.S. _did_ reach the mainland about the approaching danger to the city. In no time, local law enforcement & military personnel were bust getting the people out of the area before even one of the creatures could get close. Those living near the shorelines were the first to get evacuated, which was followed by areas of larger population like Woolloomooloo, Darlinghurst, & in the main city itself where the tallest buildings stood. Various submarines were placed between the areas of North Head & Sydney Harbour, hoping they'll have better luck than the ill-fated Dingo in either stopping the monsters or at the very least, drive them away.

Explosions that can be heard & felt all over the city erupted in the waters where the submarines were placed, with torpedoes being fired & detonating that created multiple water spouts that rose high in the air. One by one they were all picked off & destroyed by Slashfang, who makes his way towards the mainland as a quartet of huge wakes arise from the water to reveal the Smilodon beast, followed by Zilla, Gorosaurus & Godzilla himself.

Reaching the area of Potts Point, Slashfang's wake knocks away & capsizes a good many boats placed near shore before the Smilodon beast reaches & sets foot upon it, demolishing the first several structures there to rubble. Turning to the three approaching monsters, the ferocious feline bellowed in fury as his three adversaries did the same right back at him, their blaring roars sounding throughout Sydney.

Zilla was the first of Slashfang's enemies to make landfall as the saber-toothed creature backed away, stepping on & crushing abandoned vehicles & bringing down more buildings as debris spilled onto the streets. The Pretender to the Throne acted like a cat on the prowl himself as Gorosaurus came upon the land as well, going on the opposite side of Zilla & sandwiching the ferocious feline between them. Slashfang eyed them cautiously, watching for any sudden moves from either combatant.

When he saw Godzilla coming in from a distance, the Smilodon beast knew it would be difficult for him to take on these three monsters with the power _they_ possessed: he needed to find some way to level the playing field & even the odds in his favor if he's to be the victor.

It was then that Slashfang decided to act.

Making a powerful leap at Gorosaurus with a speed that belied his great size, the ferocious feline fiercely tackled Gorosaurus & wrestled the theropod dinosaur to the ground, leveling buildings & vehicles in the vicinity of MacLeay Street including the Commonwealth Bank, Spring Court & Icon Building. The move caught Gorosaurus off-guard, & got batted down onto the remains of said buildings, literally fighting tooth & claw at his feline foe. Zilla bellowed out before moving in for assistance, but Slashfang anticipated his maneuver: with his great strength, he threw Gorosaurus directly at the Pretender to the Throne as both dinosaurian beasts collided with one another, smashing structures from Rockwall Cres to McDonald Street, flattening them as they skidded across the ground.

Rising to his feet, Slashfang stretched his arms out & ran after his two enemies, slashing at Zilla when he'd got within range. His metal claws sliced through the tough hide of the creature, causing three cuts that bled & a roar which was louder than the explosions of the submarines. Slashfang was about to make another trio of cuts on his flesh when Zilla used his tail to trip the Smilodon beast off his feet, causing him to tumble like a redwood tree that's been cut from the stump. The ferocious feline fell to the ground, shaking it with the impact.

This gave Zilla & Gorosaurus time to get to their feet as the latter snatched the feline beast by the left leg & toss him over to the Woolloomooloo District just a few houses away from the police station. Law enforcement officers that remained to help civilians evacuate flee themselves as Slashfang landed on his side before getting up. Zilla wasted no time in running into & wrestling with his feline foe, pulverizing many houses/structures as they enter the Darlinghurst District. Their plight takes them straight for the Christina Clear Sydney Makeup Artist & Hairstylist building, which all but gets demolished under the weight of the dueling monsters in a cloud of dust & a pile of rubble. A similar fate had awaited the surrounding structures in Darlinghurst, while Slashfang & Zilla went at it tooth & nail, fighting like ants in a test of strength or over a mate/feeding place with neither one letting up.

A fight between two ants can last for several days or more, being the savage fighters they are.

Slashfang, however, had no intention of letting their struggle go on that long: using his foot claws, the Smilodon beast jams it into Zilla's own leg, puncturing the flesh & causing the Pretender to the Throne to cry out in pain, thus the need to back away overpowered his desire to keep raking at his foe. It gave Slashfang the chance to do some raking of his own, slashing at Zilla with his right claws that made diagonal cuts across his chest, followed by another three cuts by the left claws. Zilla cried out on both attacks, now sporting a trio of cuts that made one big X on his chest.

Not wanting to give him time to catch his breath, Slashfang charged at Zilla & swung his metal claws every which way to inflict more injuries on his lizard-like foe. But while Zilla may not have the superior strength of the _real_ Monster King, his speed & agility does make up for that lack of quality & he uses it to the fullest in avoiding Slashfang's deadly claw swipes, staying ahead of each attempt as all Slashfang _was_ hitting with his claws were buildings & a few vehicles.

But the ferocious feline _does_ get in a few more licks on Zilla, cutting him along the sides & even one on his left arm. The lizard-like beast cried out as metal made contact with flesh before Zilla lowered his head & charged his enemy, hitting him with a powerful head-butt in the chest that caused Slashfang to take several steps back. Swiping at Zilla but missing his head as the lizard-beast dodged in time, both combatants stared at each other for a few moments before the Pretender to the Throne roared & burrowed into the ground like a gopher, going in headfirst & disappearing in seconds.

Distracted from Zilla's burrowing, Slashfang was easy pickings from Godzilla, who fired his heat ray & struck the ferocious feline in the back which forced him to take several steps forward. When he stopped, Slashfang turned to see Godzilla arriving on Aussie soil & making his way towards him, crushing anything & everything in his way.

Extending his arms out, Slashfang was ready to do to Godzilla what he did to Junior.

But in his tunnel vision of the Monster King, the ferocious feline temporarily forgot about Gorosaurus, who used the distraction to sneak up on his enemy & grab him by the arm with his maw & give him another hard toss across the Aussie landscape. Buildings from Darlinghurst up to Yurong Parkway get blasted away as debris gets sprayed in every direction, with Slashfang ending up inside Cook + Phillip Park, flattening trees into splinters & pieces of lumber.

As Gorosaurus came at Slashfang while he was down, the feline beast got to his feet almost immediately & came at his dinosaurian foe, claws raised. Gorosaurus reared back on his tail & delivers his powerful 'kangaroo kick' that he connected with Slashfang's chest with such strength that the feline creature rolled around like a living ball twice before he got back on his feet. The Smilodon beast charged the theropod dinosaur again, only to receive _another_ double kick in the chest & getting the same results.

Rising up once more, Slashfang charged again but _this_ time crouches low in an attempt to swipe at the dinosaur monster's legs & render them useless.

Gorosaurus was wise to his foe's plan before he can implement it: when Slashfang got in range, the dinosaurian creature leaped in the air just as Slashfang's right hand took a swipe at him, missing his legs by inches. Gorosaurus had landed right behind his feline foe & slapped him in the side of his head with his powerful tail, disorienting him briefly as the dinosaur with the kangaroo kick attacked from behind & drove his claws into the shoulders of his enemy while using his teeth to see if he could rip the faceplate off Slashfang.

It was easier said than done: Slashfang's faceplate was surgically grafted onto him when his creators gave him his upgrade, making it a part of him. There was no way that faceplate was coming off the Smilodon beast – not without possibly tearing off his entire face with it.

Gorosaurus didn't have a problem with that, if it meant putting his enemy down for good.

Slashfang thought otherwise: he swiped his claws wildly, hoping to make contact with his dinosaurian rival & get him off his back. But Gorosaurus was as tenacious as he was fierce, & he clung onto the Smilodon beast like a tick on a dog. No matter what he tried, Gorosaurus wouldn't let go.

Not unless something _forced_ him to: seeing the tallest building in the immediate area – the Gucci Australia – over on Elizabeth Street, Slashfang charged into it head-on even as Gorosaurus hung on, causing it to collapse onto both of them as it crumbled like it was made of cards or gingerbread. A huge dust cloud encircled the area as what remained of the building covered the creatures from sight.

For a time, only the sound of Godzilla's footsteps were the main noise anywhere as the Monster King came into city limits & watched from the park as the dust cloud lingered, wondering about the fates of the two monsters – one his ally, the other his enemy.

Even after a minute or two, Godzilla could see no sign of movement from either.

It changed in a heartbeat: Slashfang emerged from the rubble & faced Godzilla, the latter of whom fired his heat ray at his foe that knocked him into the Castlereagh Club building across the street, bringing it all down in a shower of steel, glass & concrete. Godzilla ceased his heat ray as Gorosaurus rose up from his bed of debris to find the Smilodon beast blasted into another building. Roaring in fury, the dinosaurian beast leaped at his feline foe & collided into him as both monsters tussled violently through the city, destroying several buildings into rubble including Sydney Town Hall on Druitt Street & the MUJI building on Park & George Streets.

Despite the number of scratches Gorosaurus received from Slashfang, the dinosaurian monster refused to quit.

Their fierce fight took them across the city to the west when they reached Sussex Street & strike the Darling Park Buildings as concrete, steel & glass rain down upon both battling monsters & clutter the streets below. The south tower gets demolished first before the north tower received the same punishment by the creatures. Slashfang goes for another swipe of his claws to Gorosaurus' chest, but the theropod dinosaur caught his right arm in mid-strike & tossed his foe over to the building across the street & crumbling it in a cloud of dust & debris. Gorosaurus then hopped onto his foe's chest that actually caused the metal armor there to buckle under the pressure. Doing this several times, Gorosaurus has made Slashfang's armor weaker with each strike, making it feel to the saber-toothed monster like his chest was caving in & was starting to have difficulty breathing.

In a desperate attempt, the Smilodon creature grabbed the dinosaur's ankles & tossed him aside into the buildings between Kent & York Streets, pulverizing each to their foundations. Getting up onto his feet, Slashfang rushed over at Gorosaurus & swiped at his face, making three deep cuts that made the dinosaur bellow out from the pain. Enraged, the dinosaurian monster lashed at his enemy with his jaws but Slashfang dodged the bite at the last second. With his left claws, he cut Gorosaurus' neck on the side before grabbing him with a strong right hand & lifting him up to his feet. Once he does, Slashfang gives the dinosaur a quick jab with his left claws into his chest before throwing him with all his might at the buildings between Kent & York Streets.

Gorosaurus was buried by the debris that caved in on him, & with the injuries he sustained, he was unable to keep on with the fight.

He was out of it at the moment, leaving only Godzilla to contend with the saber-toothed menace.

The Monster King was already plowing through the urban jungle, knocking over whatever buildings were in his path into piles of rubble as Slashfang disposed of Gorosaurus before the ferocious feline turned his attention to him. He stared at Godzilla with such abhorrence, remembering what he suffered in their scuffle at Paris three months ago. The Monster King had just as much reason to loathe this creature: bad enough he was attacked by this mutated throwback of the Cenozonic Era, but he had the utmost _gall_ to attack his young protégé Godzilla Junior just because he _could_.

Worse yet, he does the same with Rodan's young hatchling, thinking he's superior over any of the monsters.

Godzilla may be a lot of things, but a bully/torturer to younger creatures is _not_ one of them: he showed compassion for Mothra's larva by helping her twins guide their gravely injured parent home to safety, even though he & Mothra don't always see eye-to-eye on certain matters.

If there's _one_ thing Godzilla respects more than a fighting ally by his side, it's family, whether it be with other creatures or whatever else; even a monster as fierce & battle-hardened as Godzilla has _some_ semblance of honor in his soul.

The feline creature before him possesses none of that, because his creators are just as cold-hearted.

Godzilla was going to teach Slashfang a lesson in picking on family – one he is sure to enjoy.

Funny thing is, the feline beast is equally going to show how much he doesn't care.

Bellowing thunderous roars at each other that echoed throughout Sydney, Slashfang & Godzilla charge at each other & collide with a powerful blow that sent shockwaves across the area, shattering many windows. The saber-toothed monster literally bites the Monster King in the shoulder with his fangs, piercing flesh as Godzilla bellowed in pain as Slashfang followed it up by stabbing Godzilla in the side, his claws penetrating deep. A cry of anguish & anger echoed everywhere before Godzilla fired his heat ray at Slashfang's head, which smoked but still held strong.

It did, however, force the feline monster to release his prey & draw his claws out as he fought to get his bearings.

Godzilla doesn't allow him the time: grabbing his enemy by the arm, he flung the Smilodon beast straight into the famed Sydney Tower, designed by Australian architect Donald Crone, with construction beginning in 1970 before getting finished in 1975 at a height of 309 meters. It gave a beautiful view of Sydney, & is the city's tallest structure.

Now it was pulverized as Slashfang crashed into the member of World Federation of Great Towers, which came down in piles of debris: five years of hard back-breaking work was lost in just a matter of seconds.

Godzilla advanced on Slashfang while he was down, but the Smilodon beast was more resilient than he's given credit for: when his foe got in range, Slashfang jammed his left claws into Godzilla's right foot, the projectiles going directly through the flesh as they stuck out. The Monster King roared in pain before backing up & firing his heat ray at his fallen foe.

Again, the ferocious feline's body armor saved him from serious harm.

Godzilla charged his enemy again as Slashfang swiped his claws at the oncoming threat. This time, Godzilla all but ignores the constant slashing on his body even as Slashfang causes multiple cuts everywhere. A furious fight travels up between Pitt & Castlereagh Streets, destroying every building in their way as debris rained down on the monsters & the streets below. Godzilla raked at Slashfang's face & even attempted to tear off his faceplate, but the Smilodon beast stabbed the Monster King in the side again, the metal claws slicing skin like a razor. Another ear-shattering roar filled the skies as Godzilla cried out, his rage rising.

It was way past time he did something about those pig-stickers of his, & that time was now.

Grabbing a firm hold on his wrist, Godzilla pulled out the claws embedded in his flesh before blasting them off with his heat ray & nearly taking off his hand with it. Slashfang tried using the other claws from his right hand, but the Monster King blasted those as well, leaving the Smilodon beast with only his natural claws.

But Slashfang was okay with that: swiping & cutting Godzilla's face unexpectedly, the Monster King staggered back as his vision fixes itself but not before Slashfang gives him numerous claw cuts all over the sides & even on his dorsal spines, each one sounding like a giant bell ringing. Doing a full 360 degree turn, Godzilla buffets Slashfang with his tail that sends the feline monster soaring across the city north, demolishing whatever buildings were standing in the way as rubble flew every which way.

The ferocious feline stopped at the Australia Post building at George & Bond Streets, bringing it down just like a house of cards. Godzilla used his heat ray to bring down surrounding buildings atop his fallen foe, burying him under deeper piles of debris. The Monster King walked up to where his enemy was buried at, keeping his dorsal spines lit up & ready to fire in case his foe was playing possum.

Just as he predicted, Slashfang rose from his bed of rubble & launched himself at Godzilla, who immediately shot forth his heat ray & struck him square in the chest which drove him back to the Grosvenor Place building.

He ceased his heat ray as suddenly as he unleashed its fury.

Slashfang's armor saves him again, yet he _was_ puzzled as to why he didn't push on with his primary weapon.

It couldn't be because he thought it _couldn't_ finish him off.

Following his instincts, Slashfang sensed something wrong with the scenario.

The Smilodon beast couldn't have been more correct: from within the Grosvenor Place building, Zilla reappeared after recuperating from his earlier wounds & exploded out of it, causing it to collapse in on itself from the sudden hit & weakened structure. Zilla clung onto Slashfang's back & held on tightly as a baboon would do with a man. The feline creature scrambled & fought to get the Pretender to the Throne off him, but Zilla was hooked onto his enemy & wasn't about to let go. Several buildings met an urban renewal as the dueling monsters plowed into them, blanketing streets below with concrete, glass & steel. Zilla dug his claws deeper into wherever he found bare flesh, making Slashfang cry out as he was on the receiving end of a claw attack.

Only when he did a body flip of his foe was the feline creature rid of Zilla, who hit the ground hard & has barely avoided an eye gouging from feline claws. Rising to his feet, Zilla eyed Slashfang warily as Godzilla joined his rival for the throne in advancing step by step towards the prehistoric throwback, who steps backwards with his claws ready to swipe at the first one foolish enough to come at him.

Little did Slashfang realize he was backing up at the very area in which Gorosaurus was buried at, who abruptly reaches out with his maw from underneath his debris bed & puts a powerful bite on the feline's left ankle. Before the Smilodon beast could react, Gorosaurus rises from the rubble & took his catch with him. Just as Godzilla would do with an enemy that was grabbed by the tail, Gorosaurus lifted Slashfang up in his mouth & brought him down again with a sledgehammer force that made the earth tremble. The theropod dinosaur did this a full dozen times before releasing his prey & giving him another good kangaroo kick once he got onto his feet. The blow sent Slashfang flying past many city blocks before landing at the remains of the Sydney Tower.

Shaking off the spots in his eyes, Slashfang stood up only to have Godzilla hit him with his heat ray in the back of his neck & along the sides, making the feline creature bellow in pain as the flesh/fur in said area got scorched.

When Godzilla ceased his primary weapon, Slashfang turned to see Zilla & Gorosaurus charging at & ramming into him & the building behind him, coming out on the other side in a spray of debris back at Hyde Park. Many trees & the Archibald Fountain were flattened under the weight of the three monsters, spraying rubble & water everywhere.

Zilla & Gorosaurus double-teamed against the ferocious feline in a fight that took them north, leveling buildings placed between Macquarie & Hospital Roads including the Hyde Park Barracks Museum, Sydney Living Museum & Hospitals. Even the State Library of New South Wales, Flinders Cat & Calyx weren't spared their destructive natures.

As Godzilla wades through the city knocking down buildings in his path, Zilla & Gorosaurus were giving their quarry a serious thrashing: Gorosaurus bit down on Slashfang's left wrist while Zilla wrestled with the monster's metal faceplate that protects his head. Due to Godzilla's heat ray weakening the binds earlier, the faceplate was simpler to rip off – a task Zilla more than accomplished. Slashfang's whole head was exposed, with some areas still scorched from his fight in Paris. Once Zilla succeeded in _his_ task, Gorosaurus twisted the feline monster's wrist before tearing off his hand, leaving a bloodied stump as Slashfang cried out from the loss of his appendage.

A swat from Zilla & Gorosaurus' tail in unison struck their quarry square in the chest with such powerful force that Slashfang was sent flying over to the Sydney Opera House, crashing into its iconic concrete shells roofs & hitting with an impact that was felt even from where the monsters were. Godzilla crumbles the Governor Macquarie Tower & two more buildings before emerging into the park & rejoining his two allies near the Conservatorium of Music.

Seeing Slashfang groggily getting up from his crash landing at the famed Opera House, the Monster King let out a blaring roar as the Smilodon beast turned to face Godzilla. He was greeted by a blast of atomic heat square in his own face as Slashfang let out a primal scream of anguish before his entire head explodes in a fireball that sent flaming bits of flesh/bone everywhere, each piece burning to a solid crisp.

Without his faceplate to block Godzilla's heat ray, Slashfang was vulnerable to attack from it as his headless body collapsed like a deflating balloon into the interior of the Opera House.

Lighting up his dorsal spines again, Godzilla unleashed another blast of his heat ray at the corpse of their feline foe, igniting it & the inside of the Opera House, transforming it into a giant cauldron as it roasts Slashfang's body to a crisp as it lit up the evening sky.

The Sydney Opera House, designed by Danish architect Jorn Utzon, constructed on March 1st, 1959 & completed in 1973, became Slashfang's funeral pyre.

His body burns from the neck stump down, ending the monster's reign of terror once & for all.

Zilla, Gorosaurus & Godzilla each let out a roar to celebrate their victory against an enemy that was a threat not just to the world, but their own home & family – a creature just as savage as its normal-sized prehistoric counterpart.

No more.

Each of their roars became heard even beyond the outskirts of the city, where the city's evacuees – including the two 2016 Presidential Candidates, Hillary Clinton & Donald Trump – watch as Sydney became a violent battleground of epic proportions as a quarter of giant monsters turn a once-beautiful metropolis into an area of ruins, with many good servicemen in the Aussie Navy paying the price trying to keep them away.

Unfortunately, there will also most likely be some civilian casualties to go along with it, as some probably could not get out in time.

Donald Trump thought it was a regrettable loss as he stared hard at the surviving monsters with deep contempt, while Hillary Clinton felt a huge pang of remorse for those that died in service of their country, along with those that were not as lucky to escape in time.

A tear from her eyes was wiped away in deep sympathy.

Unlike her competitor, she offered no hatred for Godzilla or his two companions.

Now it was a matter of luck as the people wonder on which course of action Zilla, Gorosaurus & Godzilla will go & take from this point on, now that the threat of Slashfang was permanently dealt with: they have two choices to make concerning the situation.

They can continue to raze Sydney until there's nothing left, or they can decide to call it quits & return to the water from whence they came; if they choose to stay, the Aussie military would no doubt be wiped out like the submarines in the monsters' path that attempted to divert their course away from the city, resulting in more unnecessary lives lost.

Hearts palpitated on which decision the three monsters will take – remain on land or return to water.

Zilla let out another boisterous roar, followed by Gorosaurus & finally Godzilla himself.

Gorosaurus started making his way northeast towards the water with Zilla following behind, his large feet barely missing the Sydney Conservatorium of Music & making their way to the Fig Tree Lawn Royal Botanical Garden as a grove of trees get flattened under their feet. Godzilla followed suit & trailed behind after them, entering the drink once Zilla & Gorosaurus do so themselves & head out into the bay, picking up speed as they get into deeper water.

When they get to the area of Clark Island at Sydney Harbour, the three monsters disappear from sight but not before letting out a final roar, white churns in the water being the only signs of their existence.

Being underwater, the trio of creatures swim out of the Sydney city limits & head away from the country.

Once their departure was confirmed by ships of the Aussie Navy, fire & emergency workers immediately rush in the ruined city to begin rescue operations to those that may still be trapped underneath debris.

Sadly, as feared, there _were_ a number of people that will be taken to the morgue upon the first few minutes of the operation, & they fear they'll find others within the city.

Australians may not be as festive on Halloween as America itself is & celebrate it in a different way, but on _this_ All Hallows' Eve, real-life terror has been brought to the Land Down Under.

It will be _one_ Halloween Australians _won't_ soon forget.

Slashfang's body continued to roast in the remains of the Sydney Opera House.

 **CHAPTER VII**

 _Harris Theater, Chicago, Illinois, Thursday, November 10_ _th_ _, 9:00 a.m.:_

News of what happened in Sydney, Australia spread like wildfire across the world, with major powers offering their thoughts & prayers to those who lost family & friends during the monsters' rampage. The same went for all across the United States, as thousands of donations poured in online to those now suffering in the Land Down Under. Even as America celebrated its annual Halloween festivities nationwide from Los Angeles to New York City, the country still showed compassion to their neighbors Down Under as they dressed up, partied & did their Trick or Treating in all their hometowns.

For the second year in a row, All Hallows' Eve became something of a charity, & the donations keep pouring in even after ten days later.

Today was no exception: Stephanie Beatrice, Patricia & Nathan Benice & their staff were all getting themselves ready for the evening's performance to raise even more money for the victims of Sydney, Australia & their families as word got out. As they'd been doing for nearly two whole months, the trio have been doing live stage performances for charity for those affected by monster attacks in Russia's Moscow & St. Petersburg, along with Paris, France. That also included helping in support for the innocent that suffered when Syria was struck by Mothra, Rodan, Gaira & Sanda in a fight that all but killed its president Bashar al-Assad – a man who murders his own people with chemical weapons.

Same as with in North Korea: the attack by Godzilla, Rodan & the two gargantuan siblings may have gotten its horrendous leader Kim Jong Un killed & the nation freed from a tyrant who also tortures/murders his own citizens for even the smallest of offenses, but there were still innocent people that died when the four leveled over 2/3 of its capital city Pyongyang & virtually wiped out the majority of its military, which every cent of the country's money went into.

Horrible as Kim Jong Un & his regime was, the innocent people of North Korea deserve aide as much as anyone else that suffered monster attacks, & their concerts helped to raise a fortune.

On this day, they shall be doing so again beginning at 7:00 in the evening.

Stephanie's friend & bodyguard Dennis stood by as she, Patricia & Nathan get themselves ready for the first of many rehearsals this day.

"Just a few more minutes, Dennis, & we'll be ready to go", Stephanie says, dressed in a glamorous black gown as she does a touch-up on her eyes & lips.

"Take your time, Stephanie – you three got all day to rehearse. No rush", Dennis says. "I only with that Eugene & Rapunzel could be here: I honestly miss seeing _them_ perform, something I haven't witnessed since the 9/11 tribute."

"We miss them too, Dennis, believe me", Nathan said. "But Eugene & Rapunzel have something of…a special bond with Elsa & the others, & they don't get to be with each other too much. That's why _they're_ taking a little bit of a breather."

"He's right, Dennis – it's something they all really _need_ to do", Patricia adds. "But try not to worry: they'll both be back by the time Christmas comes around, or possibly even sooner by Thanksgiving. As for right now, let's let them enjoy the time they have with their friends."

"Devoted to their work but even more so to their family & friends…I _love_ that, Patricia!", Stephanie says, grinning proudly. Patricia, Nathan & Dennis smiled.

From outside their dressing room, the four could hear the sound of bodies dropping to the floor with a thud, which was in conjunction of a hissing sound. As Stephanie called out their names in desperation, a slight mist started seeping in under the door, causing the quartet to get themselves away from it. Seconds later, it opened up to reveal several men in dark suits & wearing shades/gas masks as they entered the room.

Each of them pointed a gun with a yellow barrel & blue handle.

Getting in front of the three performers, Dennis spread his arms out, acting like a human shield.

"Who are you people?! What did you do with our staff out there?! _Answer me!_ ", he demanded.

None of the men said a word.

They simply shot their weapons at the quartet, & their visions first went blurry before becoming black.

Like their staff, they collapsed to the floor in a series of thuds.

They don't acknowledge getting picked up & carried.

 _The Fleming residence, Fredley Park, London, England, 2:00 p.m.:_

Even a secret agent needs downtime, & Gus Fleming was no exception: having fulfilled no less than nine missions of foiling plots to ruin the world's governments, madmen aiming deadly weapons at capital cities & even spoiling the fun of kidnappers holding valuable hostages of several filthy rich people for a hefty ransom.

Thanks to Gus, none of these disasters took place, & the would-be kidnappers never received a penny as every hostage was rescued safely & brought home in one piece.

What's more, he had the pleasure of working alongside Philippe Roache, the French agent that assisted Gus & the others in Paris when Russian Bratva boss Pyotr Lipovsky attempted to auction the stolen mutagen to several high-ranking mob bosses from all over the world, along with ridding the city of the ravenous Meganuron insects – the larva of the dreaded dragonfly monster Megaguirus.

On this day, the French agent enjoys some good quality time with the British agent at his home south of London, viewing the highlights of the previous week's football games on a sports network, each with a Budweiser in hand.

"A good way to enjoy some R&R after a series of successful missions together, no?", Philippe asked.

"Wee, monsieur!", Gus says, taking a swig of his beer. "While I'm more than capable of handling missions solo, I certainly don't mind having an experienced partner or two at my side!"

"And your daughter Merida is no novice: after seeing her & her friend Elsa against the Meganuron in Paris, I've never been such vitality in ones so young like them. You no doubt miss having her at your side these last two months, not to mention not having your beloved Elinor here at home for that long."

"Philippe, you haven't seen Elsa & my daughter Merida handle the Russians when we raided Kazimir Volkov's house in July. Those two performed _beautifully_ against the mad scientist's bodyguards. And as for my beloved Elinor, let's just say that she & Merida share a _very_ strong friendship with Rapunzel & the rest. Having them see these friends of theirs is a _necessity_ for them – more than you'll ever know."

Philippe thought about it for a minute before nodding.

"I think I understand the feeling, monsieur", he says, taking a sip of his beer. "Gus Fleming, there's something I've been meaning to tell you, now that we have some downtime."

"How so, mate?", Gus asked.

"On the night we spent at the club in Paris, the day before we were to meet General Ernie at the hotel, I was on my way back to the table where we all sat, & as I did…"

He stopped in mid-sentence when the sound of glass shattering caught their attention, & both men saw a small, dark-green object get smashed through the window & landed on the carpeted floor between them & the television.

It was a live hand grenade!

Acting on pure adrenaline, Gus & Philippe dived behind the couch & ran towards the door, getting to it seconds before the grenade went off. The blast created a shockwave that threw both agents out of the opening, landing on their faces as pieces of debris rained down on them.

"Are you all right, Gus Fleming?!", Philippe cried out.

"Ears are ringing but I'll live, mate!", Gus called back as both men get to their feet & look inside the living room they occupied moments before.

It was a complete mess everywhere, with the television destroyed as it sparked.

"That flat-screen cost me over a thousand bloody pounds!", a furious Gus said.

"Let's go get the ones who did this, mon ami!", Philippe said.

"Copy that!", Gus said before both men went over to the British agent's personal stash of weapons, taking knives, handguns & even a rifle before heading to the front door when it's suddenly kicked open from outside by a man in a dark suit as he & several others in same attire entered, with some smashing in through the windows.

The men counted over two dozen & form a circle around them, each one aiming a gun with yellow barrel & blue handle.

Despite the odds, Gus & Philippe don't cave in but show defiance.

"You buggers think you can frighten us with numbers?", Gus called to them. "My friend & I here _eat_ punks like you for _breakfast!_ And you're gonna _pay_ for what you did to my _house!_ "

"And since we are very _hungry_ at the moment, monsieurs, I strongly suggest you tell us what this ambush is all about before we _do_ eat you up & spit you out!", Philippe said sharply, eyeing each one. "So then…does anybody wish to talk?"

"First one that _does_ gets to stay _conscious!_ "

Without a word, two men from behind fire their pistols at the two agents as Gus & Philippe feel their flesh getting penetrated in the back. Immediately their visions get blurry as they realized they were struck by a tranquilizer dart. As they feel their strength ebbing away, the men move in & start clobbering the two agents with the butt end of their guns.

Because of the tranq fluid coursing through them, neither Gus nor Philippe had a chance to fight back.

A cloud of white engulfed their vision before turning black.

Gus & Philippe stayed still after that.

 _The Apenbaring Laboratory, Norway, 3:00 p.m.:_

Johannes & Anita were hard at work in their office as they go over the readouts of their latest experiment: having run tests on keeping living things alive while frozen in ice. Ever since having discovered Elsa, Anna, Kristoff & Sven in that very condition almost exactly three years ago this month, Johannes & Anita have always wondered how each of them survived for 225 years in perfectly preserved condition when they thawed them out. From that time on, they have performed a number of experiments involving freezing small animals like mice, gerbils, even insects.

They even gave a shot at doing so with some plants to see if their vitality could be preserved after being frozen & thawed out afterwards.

Unfortunately, each attempt ended in failure: the animals they used died every time, & the plants crumbled to dust or shattered like they were made of cheap plaster.

It was frustrating for them even after nearly three whole years.

"Another day, another experiment…", Johannes started.

"And another miserable failure", Anita finished, facing him. " _How_ did Elsa _do_ it, Johannes? How _was_ she able to put herself, her sister Anna & their two friends Kristoff & Sven excellently preserved in suspended animation like she did for more than two centuries? Why did _she_ succeed when _we_ keep on failing?"

Johannes let out a depressing sigh before answering.

"I really don't know, Anita. For almost three years, every attempt of ours at duplicating Elsa's ability of keeping living things in perfect hibernation in solid ice turned out to be a disaster. With each death occurred of our lab animals, we get no closer in discovering how to keep living things encased in ice to help treat diseases that seem incurable, such as AIDS, for instance. If only we knew _how_ Elsa performed that miracle, we could start helping people in ways we can only currently _dream_ about."

A sudden thought entered Anita's head, offering some hope.

"It just occurred to me, Johannes: what if we asked Elsa to come down? She _might_ be willing to allow us to take, shall we say, a blood sample from her? If we had _that_ in our possession…"

" _Then_ we can discover how she pulled it off!", Johannes said, picking up her statement with excitement. "If only we'd simply asked her then, shortly after we woke her & the rest up, but having woken up in a strange new world when the one they knew was all but gone…"

Johannes himself was interrupted when his intercom buzzed.

He pressed the button to answer.

"Yes?", he said before releasing the button.

" _Doctor, could you & Anita come to the rec room for a minute? There's something we need to discuss that really cannot wait_", came the reply.

Johannes & Anita briefly looked at each other with skepticism.

"We're on our way now", Anita answered before they rose from their seats & headed over to requested area.

As they walked down the hall, they noticed how strangely quiet it is: no sounds of people talking, no machinery operating anywhere, not even any of the guards present.

The two scientists were getting more suspicious by the second.

It was then that Anita had a silly idea, & she whispered into Johannes' ear.

He chuckled slightly, saying that they probably _were_ planning a surprise party.

Both decided to play along as they reached the rec room.

When they opened the door & stepped inside, they were greeted to a sight that was anything _but_ festive: all their fellow scientists & guards were lying on the floor or on the furniture, either unconscious or dead.

Immediately Johannes & Anita rushed to the nearest ones & checked for a pulse.

They were relieved to find one, which possibly meant the others were alive as well.

But one thing still puzzled them.

"If everybody's unconscious, who _called_ for us?", wondered Anita.

"We did."

From the way they came in & the back room, several men in dark suits entered with guns drawn – firearms neither scientist have ever seen before. Those at the door closed it with a slam, & they moved in on the two scientists.

"Who are you people, & what did you do to our friends?!", Johannes demanded.

"You were the two that discovered & helped to thaw out Elsa & her friends three years ago, doctor", one of them said.

"What are you going to _do_ with Elsa & her friends?!", Anita demanded.

"You should be more concerned about your _own_ welfare, my dear. Now, we're giving you two choices: you can either come with us peacefully, or we can _carry_ you away."

The men moved in even closer, giving less room for the scientists to maneuver.

"Actually, there's a _third_ choice!", Johannes said, digging into his pocket as Anita does the same.

Johannes & Anita pull out small cans of pepper spray & directed them in the eyes of the nearest attackers, acting like gunslingers of the old west. Those caught in the clouds cried as their eyes stung before Johannes & Anita pushed, punched & kicked men to get to the door. Reaching it, Anita grabbed & turned the knob, but the men still kept coming at them: for each one they knock away, many more replace them.

Anita only opened the door an inch before being thrown away from it, along with Johannes as the two scientists keep on resisting their attackers. The men resort to beating on them with their fists & guns, along with kicking each one hard.

"Enough!", said one man as the others keep Johannes & Anita on the floor, holding their arms & legs in place.

The one that spoke & several others approached the two rebellious scientists & stared down at them with utter contempt. Johannes & Anita gave them indifferent.

"You both didn't know it, but you just made this harder than it needs to be", the man spoke again. "While we're under orders to take you alive, our commanders _also_ gave us permission to do otherwise in case you gave us trouble."

Guns were pulled & aimed directly at Anita & Johannes as they struggled to get free, but were held down firmly.

"But don't worry", the man said with a sinister smile. "You'll be reunited with Elsa soon enough – just not in the way _you_ were thinking about."

A gesture with his head gave the men all the orders they needed: Anita & Johannes' eyes widened as guns were aimed straight at them, their last thoughts being prayers for the welfare of Elsa & her friends.

Sounds of guns going off echoed the room as both scientists saw & felt their worlds slipping away into darkness.

They were the last sounds/sights they would ever see & hear.

 _The Kremlin, Moscow, Russia, 4:00 p.m.:_

Sergei Yeltsin, his bodyguard Nikolai, police colonel Boris Romanoff & Red Army colonel Malvina Semenov were ordered to attend Moscow's center of government by the Russian Prime Minister & the President himself, Vladimir Putin – a former KGB operative who brought a leadership to Russia that felt to many like a throwback to the days of Josef Stalin, a man who was said to be as dangerous as Nazi Germany's Adolf Hitler.

Many in Russia & other countries refer to Vladimir Putin as being no different, having a dictator-like personality & is rumored to have killed a number of people in a similar sense to Stalin from his time.

The four Russians sitting before him, the Prime Minister & the other delegates felt no different about him.

In fact, they _resent_ their president as the majority of their country do, especially in Moscow.

Their meeting went on for over an hour, with Vladimir being quite unhappy.

"Since discovering that the mutagen from Bagorah's tail sample was stolen by people from right under your nose, Colonel Semenov, not only was it being auctioned by Bratva boss Pyotr Lipovsky in another country, it was _also_ used by a mad scientist on his payroll who turned himself into a horrific beast that caused our beloved Moscow much death & destruction before finally being stopped – by two other giant creatures who are just as vicious, no less!", Putin fumed. "And _you_ , Police Colonel Boris Romanoff, for almost four months now, you haven't had any clues as to the whereabouts of Russia's most wanted crime boss, as he seems to have disappeared off the face of the Earth! Care to explain?"

The quartet look at each other before Boris began to speak.

"Mr. President, my men & I – including Malvina here – have been using every resource available to us in finding Pyotr Lipovsky wherever he's gone to since he left Russia, followed by Paris, France. But that man has connections we never knew about, & he's always stayed one step ahead of us no matter what methods we use. He didn't stay a Bratva boss & out of prison for this long by being stupid."

"That's _still_ no excuse for your failure in apprehending him, Colonel Romanoff!", Putin barked. "You, Malvina & all your people have more than enough resources to help you track down Pyotr, & yet you all came up empty! I do not need to remind you that the man has physically & economically hurt our country when Chaos rampaged throughout this city of ours! And let's not forget of when Anguirus, Gaira, Sanda & even _Godzilla_ came to our land, the latter of which caused our Mother Russia great harm 30 years previous when he invaded Chernobyl after the disaster! Were it not for MOGUERA & its crew…"

"With all due respect, Mr. President, the pilots of MOGUERA were there to _kill_ Godzilla!", Sergei said. "They were _also_ planning to kill the _original_ pilots, their families, our friends _and_ the four of us once their task was done!"

"And let us _not_ forget, sir, that one of the delegates – Chevsky – was _in league_ with those three rogues, who were in turn in league with Kazimir Volkov!", Nikolai adds. "They were planning on cold-blooded murder of us all, & what did they do it for? Revenge for the crew of the Bolshevik that Godzilla destroyed last year, no matter _what_ the cost!"

Vladimir Putin, the Prime Minister & the other delegates remained silent for all the information to sink in as they all stared at the four people of interest.

"You've each done well in exposing corruption in our ranks back in July with all of the perpetrators punished, & for that, we _are_ grateful", Vladimir Putin says in a calm tone. When he spoke next, it was in a harder voice. "But that _still_ doesn't excuse you for allowing Pyotr Lipovsky to slip through your fingers, so I'm giving you the bottom line: we are giving you until the _end of this month_ to locate, capture & bring in the Bratva boss for the atrocities he committed, & if you should fail to deliver by then, we'll appoint a Police _and_ Red Army colonel that _can!_ Understand?!"

The four Russians look at each other with surprised facial features, looking like they've each seen a ghost.

"Mr. President…!", Malvina started to say.

"This meeting is adjourned! You are dismissed!", Putin said firmly, cutting her off & pounding his gavel.

Deciding their president & the other delegates won't listen any further, Malvina, Boris, Sergei & Nikolai all rise from their seats & head for the exit, fuming in fury.

Once they were gone, Vladimir & the rest do the same.

Exiting the Kremlin & getting to a safe distance, Malvina doesn't hold back on how she feels.

"That thick-headed, stupid, _arrogant_ man of a president!", she fumed. "Ever since becoming our country's ruler, he's turned it into something _we_ worked so hard to stay _away_ from – being a communist land! He wants our country to be like the days of the Soviet Union, or worse, back to the days of Josef Stalin! I for one shall _pass_ on that!"

"Malvina…", Nikolai began.

"Nyet, Nikolai, Malvina is right!", Boris says, angrily cutting him off. " _We're_ the ones who risk life & limb every day to keep people like him safe, while _he_ & his administration push pencils & attend meetings in complete safety! He hadn't seen it when Kazimir turned himself into the monster called Chaos, with Malvina getting a front-row seat with her friends Gus & Merida Fleming & Elsa Sugimoto! And his idiotic idea to capture & contain monsters like Anguirus & Baragon?! _That_ was a _complete_ disaster, & St. Petersburg & many of its people paid the price, yet our president does not even seem to _care!_ "

Boris & Malvina take a breather to get themselves under control.

"Boris, Malvina", Sergei said calmly. "I can relate to how you feel: I have even _less love_ for our president Putin than either of you do, & Nikolai has nothing but contempt for him as well. Don't forget: we tried talking sense into him & his administration about containing the world's monsters here in Russia, yet they turned a deaf ear to it every time. I would do anything to reverse the damage caused in St. Petersburg, not to mention here in Moscow. But as I told Tajima Sugimoto, his family & friends, I am only the ambassador to Russia: _my_ power is limited compared to Vladimir Putin's or even the Prime Minister's."

The Police & Red Army colonels knew Sergei was correct: an ambassador's powers _are_ very limited, & there is even less he can do to prevent a decision from their country's higher-ups once they've clarified it. Though Sergei knew the choice to keep giant monsters contained & attempt to control them was a terrible one, he was powerless to stop it.

Even police & military personnel like Boris & Malvina are just as helpless, & they knew it.

"You're right of course, Sergei", Boris said calmly. "My apologies for my rudeness to you & Nikolai. It was out of place, & there's no excuse for it."

"Think nothing of it, Boris", Nikolai said as Sergei nodded, smiling.

"Why don't we head over to my house & enjoy a nice dinner?", Malvina suggested. "After the day _we've_ all had, we can certainly _use_ a good meal. You can have anything you like."

The mentioning of food helped to bright light to an otherwise dismal day, & the three men loved the idea.

"Best idea I've heard all day, Malvina!", Boris said. "Let's take your car!"

Nodding, they all set off for it.

 _Malvina's house:_

Because of the abundant construction crews in the city to repair the damage caused by Anguirus, Chaos, Gaira & Sanda, the group didn't get to their destination until almost 5:00 in the evening, with the last rays of sunlight vanishing in the distance. Parking her vehicle in the driveway, the quartet step out as Malvina stopped & stared at her house, her eyes looking suspicious.

"Malvina? Is something the matter?", asked Boris.

"We have uninvited guests in my house!", she said, pulling her sidearm.

"How can you tell?", asked Sergei.

"Because when I leave the house, I _always_ turn the lights off & lock all the doors!"

Seeing lights shining through some of the windows, the men suspect the Russian colonel could be right.

Acting on instinct, Boris & Nikolai draw their own firearms as the quartet cautiously approach the house. Taking the front doorknob, Malvina opened it up before rushing inside with Boris, aiming their guns. Nikolai arrived next, with Sergei staying close as the group saw no movement & heard nothing indicating intruders running loose.

It still didn't mean there _weren't_ any, & Malvina signaled Boris to check out the adjoining room for any hostiles.

Nodding, the police colonel does so & found no signs or heard no sounds whatsoever.

Quickly & quietly, they searched the entire ground floor & even the basement but found no intruders.

When Nikolai motioned for upstairs, they nodded & went up the stairs onto the second floor.

That's when it all went crazy: as one, the rooms on the second floor opened up to reveal several men all wearing dark suits & packing guns they begin firing in unison. Malvina, Boris, Sergei & Nikolai barely ducked down in time to avoid catching a bullet as those with guns themselves fired back, hitting several suits & putting them down.

But no matter how many went down, others took their place.

 _They'll pick us off one at a time unless we get back downstairs!_ , Nikolai thought.

"Boris, you & Malvina get Sergei to safety!", Nikolai cried out. "I'll buy you the time you need to do so!"

"They'll overrun you in no time if you take them alone, Nikolai!", Boris said. "We're _not_ letting you do this by yourself!"

"You _have_ to! If they cut us off downstairs, they'll kill us for sure! I'm not allowing for that to happen, & neither are you! _Get going!_ "

"Boris…he's right!", Malvina says. "Let's get out of the house before they decide to cut off our escape route!"

Boris stared at Nikolai, who did so in return & nodded.

"Godspeed, Nikolai!", Boris replied before heading downstairs, taking another suit with him as he descended.

Joining up with Malvina & Sergei, the trio made their way out of the house as Nikolai decided to charge whoever was left & engage in a brutal fist fight. The remaining suits dropped their weapons & came at Nikolai, who gave them a pounding left & right as he used his combat skills to the best of his endurance, putting down multiple attackers.

But in no time, the man was overrun as suits ganged up on him every which way, pounding & kicking him close to unconsciousness. With the last bit he had, Nikolai pulled out a hand grenade he saw in Malvina's basement while he quickly checked it & pulled the pin even as more suits swarmed onto him like ants on honey.

His world started going dark.

Outside the premises, Malvina, Boris & Sergei exited the front door & ran towards the Russian colonel's car just as the upper floors of her house went up in a powerful blast that lit up the early evening sky. The trio quickly dived to the ground as debris begun raining down, covering their heads with their arms.

It was over as suddenly as it began.

" _Nikolai!_ ", Sergei, Boris & Malvina cried out, turning to the house & what remained of the second floor.

Their hearts sank like stones, & getting up from the ground was a chore as their bodies felt like a stone weight that their legs could barely support: one of the most honorable men they've ever known was suddenly gone in a flash, & their sorrow began to rise like an overflooding dam about to burst.

They steeled up in a heartbeat when they heard a pair of men moaning in pain, & the trio see two of the intruders stumble out of the house, their suits torn & soiled from the blast.

"Stay _right_ where you are!", Boris barked as he & Malvina aimed their guns at them.

Being in no condition to put up any resistance, they raised their hands in surrender as Boris & Malvina grabbed each one & dragged them over to Malvina's car. Slamming them against it, the two began their interrogation.

"Who are you people, & why did you want to kill us?!", Malvina demanded.

The men stayed silent despite surrendering.

Boris & Malvina looked to Sergei, who nodded.

Grabbing an arm on each suspect, the Police & Red Army colonel twisted the limb & caused the men to cringe in pain. Still, they refused to speak.

"My friends & I just lost a great man today because of you people!", Sergei snapped. "These two won't hesitate to tear your arm off & beat you to _death_ with it! Now…are you ready to talk?!"

When no answer was forthcoming, Boris & Malvina twisted their arms more until they cried out in agony.

"All right…we'll talk!", one of them shouted.

"Good! Tell us _everything_ you know!", Boris barked fiercely.

The men spilled their guts to the trio, sparing no details.

 _Japan National Stadium, Tokyo, 10:00 p.m.:_

Most of the men at the JSDF base – including Yoshi Shimazaki – have left for some well-deserved R&R after a long day's work, but General Ronald Len Ernie couldn't bring himself to leave just yet. He wanted to go over the data & figures on the North Korea recovery operation that has been ongoing since being invaded by Godzilla, Rodan, Gaira & Sanda, leaving the country & its capital city Pyongyang in ruins. He was also hoping for any sign of word on finding the crab creature Tamatoa, having put out several ships & submarines from the Japanese & American Navies, along with others in close proximity according to Maui & Moana's coordinates.

Alas, nobody could find any trace of the coconut crab despite two months of searching.

Many of the men were starting to think it was nothing more than a wild goose chase, & more than half were all thinking of calling it off even if it's against his wishes.

If the majority of them _do_ decide to call it off, Ronald may have no choice but to go along with it despite the fact he hated having to let Maui & Moana down.

But he can't take on the whole world: there are limits to what even he can do.

The sound of his tent flapping put the General on alert, but the man didn't look up – he assumed it was his food one of the remaining men of his skeleton crew had brought in.

"Took you long enough, son", Ronald said, eyes on his work. "Just leave the tray on my desk & I'll chow down on my dinner shortly. Arigato."

The sound of the dart flying by was so soft that Ronald didn't acknowledge it in time, & he couldn't even feel the needle piercing his skin until after he started feeling drowsy, his vision going all blurry. He tried to stand up, but his legs felt like popsicle sticks & unable to support his body weight. Through his haze, he saw several men in dark suits approach & subdue him as one held a cloth with ether splashed on it. Placing it over his mouth & nose, General Ernie went into a slumber as the men took him down with hardly any noise.

Whatever noise they _did_ make went unnoticed by the small crew outside.

Once he was completely under, the men used the cover of darkness to get themselves & their prize away from the base & into a waiting SUV with tinted windows before driving off into the night.

Not one witness on the base or off it saw a kidnapping occur.

The evening went its usual route.

 _The Sugimoto residence:_

On this tenth day of November, the family celebrated Emiko's birthday & enjoyed the day with visiting the Tokyo Disneyland Amusement Park, going on lots of rides & trying out tons of games, winning all sorts of prizes afterwards. At home, the kitchen & living room were decorated with streamers, balloons & other favors as they enjoyed a wonderful dinner of fish, chicken, & steak strips with rice, veggies & fruit on the side. Afterwards they had a nice ice cream cake with more than enough slices for everybody, indicating that having seconds was not a problem.

After everyone had their first slice of cake, Olaf tried snatching a slice for himself but was thwarted by Elinor as she took the plate with cake away from his stick hands.

"Ah-ah-ah, Olaf. No can do", she said, placing it back on the table.

"Aw, why not, Elinor?", Olaf asked. "There's more than enough for everyone…and it's an _ice cream cake!_ "

" _And_ it's for _Emiko_ ", Merida adds.

"And it's for Emiko", Olaf repeated as he sagged his head down & walked off.

Detaching his right stick arm, it sneaked up onto the table to swipe & make off with it, but Elinor gave it a firm enough hit to convince it otherwise as it hustled back to Olaf. Elinor & Merida turned to the snowman & gave him 'the look' that put a defeated face on the snowman, who walked off mumbling unhappily.

Entering the den, Kristoff & Eugene saw Olaf walking through.

"What's wrong, Olaf? You got caught stealing ice cream cake again?", Eugene teased.

"Rub it _in_ , why don't you?", Olaf pouted as he made for the back door & exited the house.

Kristoff & Eugene grinned, barely able to stop themselves from guffawing.

"You know, Elinor, Merida, it _wouldn't_ have hurt for him to have just _one_ piece of ice cream cake", Akemi said.

"Not at all", Hidemi said. "During his first year with us, we offered Olaf a piece of ice cream cake during Emiko's birthday two years ago & it didn't alter his appearance, if that's what you were worried about."

Elinor & her daughter shared a chuckle with Hidemi & _her_ daughters.

"Well, perhaps we can put a piece of it in the fridge for him to eat at his convenience", Rapunzel says, walking in the kitchen with Anna. "It's the least we can do."

"But we _must_ give Elinor _some_ credit", Anna said. "Today _is_ Emiko's special day, so only us _humans_ will get the ice cream cake privilege."

More giggles from the ladies ensue as Anna & Emiko embrace in a sisterly hug.

"Happy Birthday, sweetie!", Anna says.

"Domo arigato, Anna!", Emiko replied, smiling.

"Dou itashimashite, Emiko!"

Anna kissed Emiko on the cheek in a scene reminiscent of last year when the former Arendelle princess went & conforted Tajima's younger daughter after losing her young friend Ayana Tazaki, who was manipulated by the Black Hole Aliens when she piloted Mecha-King Ghidorah to kill Godzilla until she saw the truth.

It was a melancholy moment.

But today, it was the opposite.

Over in the living room, Tajima & Elsa were engaged in a discussion as Maui & Moana watched from a distance, their thoughts being on anything _but_ Emiko's birthday. The two living descendants of the demigod & ancient voyager approached the Japanese scientist & the Snow Queen, both of whom caught them heading towards them.

"Hey, you two – you don't seem too lively this evening", Maui said. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes, we're okay, Maui", Tajima said honestly. "Elsa & I were merely discussing on…well, that is to say…"

"You're still wondering about Slashfang, aren't you?", Moana says, hitting the nail on the head. "That creature was a grave danger to us all, Tajima, Elsa: we ought to be _proud_ that he met his demise in Sydney last week."

"Of _that_ we are, Moana, please don't get us wrong", Elsa said. "The thing is…he was our only lead in finding out where he came from & discover those who made him with that new mutagen we picked up in Paris in July."

The realization hit Maui & Moana like a ton of bricks.

"We see what you mean now, Elsa", Maui said. "If only he _wasn't_ killed when Godzilla & his allies fought him in Sydney, we might've found _some_ way to follow him back to his lair. Instead…"

"We're right back where we started from", Moana said. "No leads, no clues to where he originated from, & we're _also_ no closer to finding Tamatoa either. I don't know what to _do_ at this point."

Moana felt like she could cry due to the lack of evidence & their one solid lead burned to a crisp when the front doorbell rang, followed by another sound that occurred right after.

To Elsa, it sounded like the person collapsed once he/she rang the bell.

Running to the door & opening it, Elsa gasped at the sight of a woman wearing a blue cloak over a white dress that looked like ancient Greeks used to wear. It was torn & bloodied in spots, & the woman was cut on her face, arms, legs & parts of her body.

But the woman's condition wasn't the _only_ reason why Elsa gasped.

She _knows_ this woman.

 _Oh my god!_ , she thought dreadfully.

" _Alura?!_ ", Elsa cried as Merida & Rapunzel came to the door & saw the unconscious woman lying on the front doorway.

They gasped themselves.

"Quick – let's get her inside!", Merida said as she, Elsa & Rapunzel did just that.

As one, the trio got Alura inside the house & gently placed her on the living room couch as everyone gathered in said room with Elsa checking for a pulse.

"Is she alive, Elsa?", Emiko asked.

"Yes, thank god", she replied. "She's unconscious due to her injuries, but she _is_ alive."

"Still, let's not take any chances", Rapunzel said, getting Alura's hand & placing in on top of her head.

Everything in place, Rapunzel began singing her 'special song':

Flower gleam & glow, let you power shine

Make the clock reverse, bring back what once was mine

Heal what has been hurt, change the fates' design

Save what has been lost, bring back what once was mine

What once was mine

Once Rapunzel began singing, her hair glowed a bright golden yellow as Alura's body became bathed in it. Like magic, the group can see her wounds sewing themselves back up on their own, the clock reversing as per the verse in Rapunzel's song. Aside from Eugene, Pascal, Elinor & Merida, nobody in the group ever saw the former princess of Corona perform her hair's magic to heal another: this was the first time they actually got to see this amazing wonder, & it was something truly mind-boggling to witness.

It was like seeing Elsa perform her ice & making sculptures.

When the light show was over, Rapunzel released Alura's hand as she stirred herself awake & opened her eyes to find Rapunzel & several people she never saw before. Alura jumped on the couch & backed away in fear, but Elsa put her at ease.

"Alura, it's okay", she said, taking her hand. "These people are my family & friends. You needn't have to worry about anybody here. Rapunzel? She healed you all up just now."

Taking a look around to see concerned but friendly faces with Elsa's, Alura relaxed.

"Elsa…is this the Queen of Seatopia that you told us about once?", Merida asked.

"The very same, Merida", Elsa says. "She helped me & Dobashi escape her brother's clutches when I was caught that first time by his agents. But if I may, Alura…why are you here?"

"And what _happened_ to you before?", asked Elinor. "You looked as though you've been through a _war_ of sorts."

"In a way, I _was_ ", Alura began.

 _10:30 p.m.:_

For those who've only just met Alura, she gave a quick summary of Seatopia's history which lead up to the battle in Nagoya & beyond: it occurred only a day or two after her tyrannical brother Antonio was defeated: a group of men who looked oriental came & invaded Seatopia with weaponry that was nearly superior to their own, but these were even better-skilled fighters & killers as they mowed down many of their people & captured her & the rest with their numbers. Once they took over, they began creating monsters using a mutagen they concocted to first create Slashfang, along with two other creatures they've been working on in secret. For more than a year, the Seatopians were under the rule of the invaders that called themselves survivors from a place called Nebula M – an area nobody in the room has ever heard of until now. She further explained that the enemy was commanded by a man that looked to be no more than 17 years of age, along with a man with short curly black hair & thin mustache.

To Tajima & the others, it sounded a _lot_ like Fumio Sudo & Kubota – the very ones that run Sudo Sciences over in Osaka.

But the one thing that stunned the group the most was that the Seatopians surrendered easily because those from Nebula M had a very powerful weapon to use upon them.

It was none other than the monster crab Tamatoa himself.

And just like that, the pieces of the puzzle finally fit.

"No _wonder_ we couldn't find him on anyone's radar, including our own!", Maui said, placing a fist in his palm. "Those people took Tamatoa _inside_ the Earth, the walls of rock _shielding_ him from any kinds of surveillance! _That's_ how he was able to elude us for almost two years – we didn't even _think_ to search within undersea rock formations!"

Maui punched his fist on the wall, angry as can be.

He'd continue with his tirade if Moana hadn't stopped him.

" _Easy_ there, Maui", she says. "Let's not tear up Tajima's house over this. Besides, _I'm_ to blame for this as much as you: if only _I'd_ thought of looking _inside_ the Earth from beneath the ocean, we would've found him a _lot_ sooner."

" _Neither_ of you are to blame, Moana", said Merida. "Like us, you _couldn't_ have known that Tamatoa would get brought to where the Seatopians are. You probably didn't know Seatopia even _existed_ until now."

"Actually, Merida…we _did_ ", Maui said. "We just never thought to _look_ for him there, thinking Seatopia was all but destroyed when they invaded your original home of Arendelle all those years ago."

"That's what _we_ thought ourselves, Maui", Anna said. "And after Alura's brother Antonio was defeated, we also thought Seatopia was going to live in peace from that moment on under Alura's leadership. We had _no_ idea it would be under attack after that ordeal, let alone by an enemy from your past."

"But as you said, Maui, we have all the evidence we need", Kristoff says. "Not only do we know where Tamatoa is finally, we _also_ know that new mutagen which made Slashfang was created by _Fumio_ & his people, _not_ Mugal's."

Eugene turned to the Japanese scientist.

"Tajima, why don't you get in touch with General Ernie & Commander Yoshi & tell them the good news?", he suggests. "The sooner _they_ know about it, the sooner they can launch a counter-offensive & put a _permanent_ end to that crab creature for good."

"Maybe we shouldn't get all gung-ho on Seatopia just yet, Eugene", Rapunzel said. "Doing so can hurt the people in the undersea kingdom, as they're all being held hostage against their will by Fumio & his people."

"Your wife is correct, Eugene", Elinor said. "Those people need to be rescued first before any kind of military action can commence against Fumio & his people, & who knows what _other_ kinds of creatures they've created with the mutagen _they_ concocted."

Seeing the logic in her words, Eugene nods.

"So then…how _should_ we play this?", the former Flynn Rider wondered.

"Let's all sleep on it for tonight", Elsa suggests, watching Alura resting on the couch with a blanket covering her. "It's getting pretty late, & we could definitely use a good night's rest. But first, I'll get in touch with General Ernie & let _him_ know what _we_ now do."

"Our mama, Emiko & I will do a quick clean-up in the kitchen before we turn in, Elsa", Akemi said as Elsa nods before the trio head into said area. Elinor decides to join them in their chore.

Dialing Ronald's number on her cell phone, Elsa heard it buzz before a recording sounded after two-three rings.

" _You've reached General Ronald Len Ernie. I'm not present at the moment, but you know the drill, son._ "

After the beep, Elsa recorded her message.

"General, it's Elsa. Call me as soon as you get this, for we have information you will definitely want to hear."

Hanging up, Elsa pocketed her cell phone before heading for bed.

As most everyone else does the same, Maui, Eugene & Kristoff head into the backyard where Olaf retreated to.

Hearing the back door slide open, the snowman saw the three men coming his way.

"What's shaking, you guys?", Olaf asked with a smile.

"Something's come up, & we need you to do something for us, Olaf", said Maui.

"We need for you to keep a close watch on the house until dawn", Kristoff says. "Think you can manage that?"

"Yes sir!", Olaf said, saluting like a soldier before marching across the backyard, turning around & repeating the process.

"Remember, snowman…our welfare is in your hands, sticks or not", Eugene adds.

"Relax, will ya? I _got_ this!", Olaf says care-free before resuming his march.

Having nothing else to say, the three head back inside the house.

Before opening the door, Maui turned to his friends.

"Do you _really_ think he can be trusted to safeguard us till morning?", he asked in a low voice.

"Don't _jinx_ it", Kristoff & Eugene said in equally low tones with sheepish grins.

Not wanting to push their luck & make things go from bad to worse, Maui nodded as they reenter the house.

Like the rest, they headed for bed, hoping they don't regret their choice.

 _Tai Tam Region, Hong Kong Island, China:_

Not long after Godzilla, Rodan, Gaira & Sanda attacked North Korea, destroyed the DMZ & its capital Pyongyang & murdered its supreme ruler Kim Jong Un, those still fiercely & blindly loyal to the Kim Dynasty gathered whoever was devoted to the regime & whatever supplies they could before leaving their home via boats they paddled for weeks across the Yellow & East China Seas until they reached Hair Pin Beach in Tai Tam Bay. Several residents have helped get them to shore & tended to their wounds, fed them whatever food was available, & getting them some fresh clothing. The North Korean soldiers – minus their guns, as they left them behind to keep from getting suspicious – each gave their thanks to those that assisted them, asking where they were.

A man replied that they have arrived on Hong Kong Island.

Nodding, they said they were relieved to have finally reached land after weeks out at sea.

When a woman asked what happened to them that got them adrift, one North Korean said that they were attacked by Godzilla, Rodan, Gaira & Sanda, explaining the monsters destroyed everything they held dear as they were barely able to escape from the carnage with their lives. With no homes to go to, they hit the open seas & hoped to find a place which would offer them refuge until they can get back on their feet.

Taking pity on them, those in the area were willing to give the men sanctuary – as long as they do specific chores in order to earn their keep & stay fed/clothed.

Having no other alternative, the men agreed.

For nearly two months, they performed tasks such as gardening, making deliveries & even did some construction work on the side.

In the time they spent on Hong Kong Island, they made good friends.

But making friends was the _last_ thing on the minds of the North Koreans: several days ago just before October ended, the North Korean men – 24 in all – left their homes one night while everyone else was still asleep & traveled on foot through the Tai Tam forest, eventually reaching the Country Park. Little did anyone realize, the North Koreans all knew _exactly_ where they were going: long ago during Korea's Goryeo Dynasty – which lasted from 918 to 1392 – the founder of it, Wang Geon, wanted absolute rule over his enemies during the Silla War but lacked the resources. Having learned of an ancient legend, he performed a ritual with several of his followers that summoned a large creature which would obey his commands. As it came to life, the monster began eating his followers & grew to a size of 65 meters tall before breaking out of its prison for so many centuries.

Wang Geon named the creature Pulgasari.

With the monster his to command, Wang Geon laid waste to most of the Silla forces as the opposing army could do little against the might of Pulgasari, who often ate his opponents & destroyed every village he encountered.

Only the combined might of two monsters was Pulgasari finally subdued: after a brief but terrible fight in Korea, these two monsters followed Pulgasari over to Hong Kong Island, where he was defeated & buried deep underneath the ground.

Pulgasari had not been seen since that day.

But somehow, someway, these men _know_ that the creature still lives within the bowels of Hong Kong Island.

Finding the entrance to a cave which was blocked by large stones, the men removed them as quickly as they were able before entering & going down into its dark tunnel until they were in an area 80 meters deep.

Using hand-held torches, they made their way to their destination: a huge cavernous room that was 70 meters tall & wide, which was more than enough room for the giant statue that stood within: it was 65 meters tall & has a bipedal form, standing on two powerful legs with feet featuring three clawed toes & equally powerful arms, each ending in five clawed fingers. Its body looked to be covered in armored plates & fur, & its reptilian head sported a mouth full of sharp teeth, large eyes & a pair of large curved horns on the sides of its head which pointed up in a diagonal position. Twin smaller horns protruded from its shoulders, & a short tail could be seen in the rear.

In all, the monster looked like a gigantic version of the fabled Minotaur.

It was also _precisely_ what the North Koreans wanted to find.

Getting to work immediately, the men set their torches in a circular pattern as they sit Indian-style in the exact same manner with their shirts removed. Using the blood of three rabbits they killed, the men painted themselves with it before chanting in their tongue of an ancient ritual – one that has not been spoken in more than 1,000 years since the Goryeo Dynasty.

They've been at it for days, with no sign of success thus far.

But they will continue until they _do_ succeed, no matter how long it takes.

 _The Pacific Ocean, somewhere off the coast of Okinawa:_

Several days ago, King Seesar felt a strong aura of evil that awoken him from his slumber – one he'd been taking since defeating the Black Widow robot spider with Godzilla's help in Okinawa the previous year. Bursting free from his chamber in the mountains, King Seesar entered the water & swam southeast, approaching the islands of Miyakojima, Tarama, Ishigaki, Taketomi & Yonaguni as ships steered clear of the monster.

None of them needn't had bothered: during his travels, King Seesar largely avoided every water-going vessel, be it ship or submarine that occupied his path. Even boats that were either fishing or vacationing were spared the monsters' wrath as King Seesar concentrated solely on following this evil aura & defeat it once & for all.

His current course will take him on a path directly for China.

 _Elsewhere in the Pacific Ocean:_

Godzilla, Zilla & Gorosaurus returned home 2-3 days after their bout in Sydney for a well-deserved rest, happy to see that Godzilla Junior, Little Rodan & the rest were doing better, their wounds not that serious from Slashfang's attacks. About 3 days later, his sixth sense kicked in, indicating something devious was stirring & left to investigate. The monsters watched him go, with Zilla & Gorosaurus promising to keep an eye on his young protégé while he was gone.

Giving a growl of appreciation, Godzilla continued north, swimming as gracefully as any fish.

Having traveling for nearly a week, he'll reach Japan any day now.

 _Infant Island:_

Since their meeting with Grand Pabbie in Norway, the Shobijin were uneasy of the malevolent vibes which were all but getting stronger by each passing day. It's made them, their fellow islanders & their giant guardian Mothra very restless as they all felt the aura of evil to the core of their bones. Each day, they offered their prayers & performed many ritual dances to try & protect themselves from this vile threat.

But they knew it wasn't going to be expunged by rituals alone, & soon Mothra will awaken to combat this new threat that Earth now faces.

Right now, she lays still in her chamber, asleep.

The Shobijin & their islanders continue to dance & chant.

 **CHAPTER VIII**

 _The Sugimoto residence, Tokyo, Japan, Friday, November 11_ _th_ _, 8:00 a.m.:_

Even with the knowledge of Tamatoa's confirmed location _and_ that Fumio Sudo was pulling the strings of their current troubles, everyone slept well considering. That also went for Olaf, who actually fell asleep while on patrol as Kristoff, Eugene & Maui found him sitting on one of the chairs, his head slumped over a table in the backyard while he snored quite loudly.

A grunt from Eugene woke Olaf up as the snowman saw them staring down at him with looks of irritation placed on their faces.

Standing at attention in the blink of an eye, Olaf smiled.

"Oh, ohayo gozaimasu, you guys! Sleep well?", he asked.

It was all they could do to prevent themselves from literally tearing him apart.

"That is _definitely_ the last time we ask _you_ to stand guard!", Kristoff said.

"Yeah…never send a _snow_ man to do an _actual_ man's job!", Eugene said as both he & Kristoff headed inside for breakfast.

"Don't listen to them, buddy… _I_ thought you did great", he said in a low voice & winked at the snowman.

"We _heard_ that!", Kristoff & Eugene fumed as Maui grinned sheepishly before joining them.

"Thanks…I think", Olaf said, pondering on it.

During breakfast, the group was going over on last night's conversation on all the information Alura unveiled.

"So, with a full-scale invasion on Seatopia being out of the question – which I totally _do_ get – how _should_ we go & play this?", Anna wondered.

The group was silent for a moment before Elsa spoke up.

"Alura & I will venture back to Seatopia", she said.

Her answer raised voices of protest & concern from everybody.

"Elsa, you _can't!_ ", Hidemi said. "They tried draining you of your _power_ that time!"

"Mama's right, Elsa!", Akemi adds. "You _barely_ escaped last time with your life, as did Alura in getting here! If you _do_ go back there, who _knows_ what will happen!"

"And you _won't_ have Dobashi to help you, either!", Emiko said.

The protests & worried voices continued until Elsa spoke up.

"Everyone please", she said as they simmered down. "I _know_ you're concerned for my well-being considering my past with that place, & I _do_ appreciate it. But Alura came to us for help, & considering the fact that her kingdom is conquered by new enemies, we can't just _abandon_ her in this time of need."

" _Especially_ since the creature you're so anxious to find – Tamatoa – has finally _been_ found", Alura adds as Elsa nodded. "Add to that the mutagen you're _also_ eager to find & destroy dwells within my home, made by Fumio Sudo & his people. The key to stopping them all is with Seatopia: as I was escaping, my people were urging me on, giving them a sense of hope they haven't had since Fumio conquered us last year. With any luck, they've caused a revolution which will help set them free from their captors. Having Elsa's power assisting them would _also_ be a great asset."

Pondering on their words, everyone nodded & agreed to their terms.

"Okay, those _are_ good points raised, Elsa, Alura", Merida said. "But at least let _me_ tag along with you: with _my_ bow & arrow skills, I can bring down numerous enemies within moments. You _know_ that I can."

"Actually, Merida…Maui & I will be going with them", Moana said as her partner nods. "Truth be told, we _need_ to go with them: this is something that is still unresolved, & we need to get closure on this…for good."

"Family pride?", Eugene asked.

" _Something_ like that, yes", Maui said. "We may not be the _original_ Maui & Moana, granted, but we _owe_ it to our ancestors: they started this conflict with the crab, & now it's up to us to _finish_ it."

"We understand", Rapunzel said. "If it were any of _us_ in your position, we'd be just as adamant in finishing what was started long ago."

Nods from everyone made Maui & Moana glad.

"We'll be careful, everyone…don't you worry", Moana said as Pascal crossed his hand across his chest, making her giggle. "Yes, Pascal – cross our hearts & hope to die."

Pascal sighed in relief before going to his friend/master's shoulder.

"Mum, we should let Gus in on this", Merida said. "I hate leaving him in the dark about it."

"I gave him a buzz on my cell phone last night before bed, but he didn't answer", Elinor says. "No worries – I'll try again later. Promise."

"What about General Ernie, Elsa? Any luck on reaching him yet?", asked Tajima.

"No, I'm afraid", she replied. "I left him a message but got no response yet. Did you inform Yoshi about what our situation entails?"

"Just before breakfast. He'll be arriving sometime after eight this morning, so let's finish up before he does."

Taking his advice, the group did exactly that with their morning meal.

Like Tajima surmised, Yoshi _did_ arrive in a few minutes after eight in the morning, having done so in his personal JSDF Humvee. He greeted everyone including Alura, who was grateful for his assistance & wished that circumstances could be better, with Yoshi agreeing.

But even so, it _was_ good to see her in the flesh.

Dressed in fall gear with Elsa & the rest, Alura was set to go with the Snow Queen, Maui & Moana.

"I cannot thank you & General Ernie enough for trying to locate Tamatoa, Commander Yoshi", Alura said. "If only I'd escaped from Fumio's clutches earlier…"

"Don't you worry yourself over it, Alura", Yoshi said. "Even _we_ could never imagine that your kingdom Seatopia would be conquered like it was, let alone believe that who we seek – Tamatoa – would be taking refuge there, _or_ that this new mutagen was created by these very people that took over your home."

"Speaking of which, Yoshi…", Rapunzel brings up. "What about the Sudo Sciences building over in Osaka? Once you get Alura & the others to the sub she arrived in, won't you be sending troops there?"

"Not just yet, Rapunzel: like Alura said before, stopping Fumio & his people begins at the source, meaning over at Seatopia. If his operation can be crippled & halted there, we'll bring him down easier topside."

"Makes sense", Eugene said. "After all…it's only a building. What harm can it do?"

He grins at his little joke, making the others smirk amusingly.

"Let's get to your sub, Alura", Yoshi says, getting things back on track as she nods.

"Ready?", Alura asked Elsa, Maui & Moana, who nod themselves before entering Yoshi's Humvee & taking off, leaving the Sugimoto family & their friends behind.

They all wished a silent prayer of luck for the group before heading back inside.

 _Sagami Bay, 30 minutes later:_

Following Alura's directions to the letter, Yoshi took his crew of four over to the Takahamadai area of Hiratsuka, going down to the beach area next to a port where several boats resided. Stopping fifteen feet from the water's edge, Yoshi & company exit the vehicle.

"Okay, Alura, we're here", Yoshi says. "Where's your sub?"

"Right here, Yoshi", she says, taking out a small device from her pocket & pressing a button.

Like magic, a mini submarine that was thirteen feet long & four-&-a-half feet wide with twin propellers & rudder at the rear appeared in the water next to the edge. A windshield that stretched around the corners enabled the operators to see to the front & sides, & an extra circled window appeared on the sides. The sub was an aqua blue in color, enabling it to blend in with its surroundings.

"Wow!", Elsa, Maui, Moana & Yoshi say as Alura grinned.

"Glad you like it", she says, pocketing her device. "This sub can travel at over 100 mph & can get to the bottom of the ocean without being crushed by water pressure, as it's built with a special metallic alloy developed by our people. As you saw, it has a cloaking device which renders it invisible to prying eyes. That's how I was able to sneak it here in Sagami Bay without being detected."

"We just feel bad you had to walk all the way to the house, especially in your condition", Elsa said.

"You could've went to an officer for help", Maui said.

"I couldn't allow for the authorities to get involved, as it would've compromised my mission by them asking too many questions I couldn't answer", Alura says.

"We see your point, Alura", Moana said. "Speaking of…let's get going to Seatopia before we _do_ get spotted by authorities & questioned."

Nodding, Alura climbed up the ladder on the hull's left side & opened the top hatch before going inside, followed by Maui, Moana & Elsa. Before the Snow Queen got inside, Yoshi caught her attention.

"Elsa, should you need any kind of assistance or if there's any new information you might happen to dig up at any time…"

"I'll be sure to give you a ring, Yoshi. I have your number", Elsa says. "Where will _you_ be in the meantime?"

"Back to base. I'll see you soon. And good luck."

Nodding, Elsa entered the sub & closed the hatch before it started up with Alura at the controls. Backing away from the beach, the sub makes a 180 degree turn & heads south, descending beneath the surface as it does.

Once it was gone from sight, Yoshi got back into his Humvee & drove off.

 _The Sugimoto residence, 9:00 a.m.:_

After Yoshi took off with his crew, Kristoff, Eugene & Merida decided to feed their steeds before they forget to do so as they try their best not to worry about the welfare of Elsa & their friends: like any police officer or soldier in the Armed Forces, Elsa knew the risks & what she got herself into when Ronald & Yoshi made her a member of their Mechagodzilla crew.

Proud of her they may be, it still didn't stop them from worrying every time she goes off on a dangerous mission, & they did what they could to not let it weigh them down.

Merida took her bow & arrows that she brought along, practicing with them at targets she set up on the trees of the Sugimoto backyard. Like always, she scored a bullseye every time as the group watched with amazement.

Tajima, Hidemi, Akemi, Emiko & Elinor stayed in the kitchen to discuss what their next course of action should be, which wasn't many options from what they can tell.

"I don't see what else we _can_ do in the meantime", Elinor says. "But the _one_ saving grace is that both Ronald's party _and_ yours at the office can call off the search for Tamatoa, now that we have a positive fix on his location."

"That _is_ something of a relief, Elinor", Hidemi said. "And my husband's due to get going for the office soon, so once he arrives…"

"I can let Akihiko know what happened so we wouldn't have to use our resources anymore", Tajima said. "Same as with the new mutagen that created Slashfang, we can at least put _that_ to bed."

"Maybe not just yet, papa", Emiko says. "What if Fumio has _another_ stash of his mutagen someplace that _isn't_ in Seatopia?"

"She's not wrong, papa", Akemi adds. "Fumio could possibly have a batch of it hidden elsewhere, which he can get to if he needs it. I wouldn't call off the search for it just yet."

Like always, Tajima & Hidemi's daughters raised valid points: like Mugal, Fumio might have placed a barrel or two of his mutagen at other areas on Earth. Should that be the case, they'll need to _expand_ the search rather than abort or call it off.

Before another word can be spoken, the front door was forced open as the five people turned to see that number of men in dark suits enter the room in a rush, each with guns drawn.

"You people are coming with us… _now!_ ", said the lead man.

 _The backyard:_

Claps of appreciation came from Anna, Rapunzel, Eugene, Kristoff, Olaf & Pascal as Merida hit her targets dead-on before she removed her bows stuck in the trees & sticking them back in her quiver. Once she was done, she & the rest heard screams from inside the house, most notably the kitchen.

"Akemi!", Kristoff, Eugene & Olaf cry out.

"Emiko!", Anna, Rapunzel & Merida cry out.

As one, the group raced towards the house when they were suddenly ambushed by five more men with guns that instantly fired upon them, their bullets coming close to hitting their marks as Rapunzel & the rest dived for cover even as more bullets flew. Olaf took a few in the chest, but being made out of snow, they didn't even slow him down as each shot passed through.

They _did_ , however, irritate him.

"Bullets? Me? Really?", he pouts even as more strike him.

"Get to _cover_ , you fool!", everyone shouted.

Taking his advice, Olaf ran for shelter as he took one in the rump.

In the kitchen, the Sugimoto family & Elinor put up a fight against their abductors but were overpowered in the end as each man grabbed a hostage & forced them out of the house, fighting every step of the way even with a gun to their heads. The barnyard door swung violently opened to reveal Maximus & Sven charging directly at the abductors, who turn in conjunction to see the Andalusian & reindeer coming right at them with fire in their eyes.

The two men that took Akemi & Emiko aimed their guns at the animals, enabling both sisters to give an elbow strike to their kidnappers which caused them to release their captives as they ran for cover. Maximus & Sven snatched each of the men in their jaws & tossed them

At that same time, the men that took Tajima, Hidemi & Elinor hurried to their waiting SUV & violently shoved their hostages inside before climbing in & taking off. Maximus & Sven started pursuing the vehicles but were stopped when two of the men fired their guns at the steeds, nearly missing them by inches before a pair of Molotov Cocktails were thrown to create a firewall to prevent them from pursuing them.

Brave as they are, even Maximus & Sven wouldn't attempt to jump through or over that wall of flames which is a good 8-9 feet tall.

While Max & Sven took care of the front yard, Angus went around to the back to find five more men firing upon his master & her friends, all of whom have taken cover behind the table after Eugene knocked it down for everyone to use it as a shield. Thankfully, it was a metal table & the bullets bounced off it like they were popcorn.

Angus came in from behind to knock away two of the attackers, forcing the rest to focus on the Clydesdale as he violently tramples the two he put down. With their attention diverted, Eugene, Kristoff & Merida use it to get out from the table's protection & charge the remaining men with fists raised.

Using almost no skill, the trio put down their assaulters with a well-placed right fist in each face, knocking them down & out.

It was then that Akemi & Emiko appeared at the back door.

"Are you two okay?!", Anna called to them.

"Where's Tajima, Hidemi & Elinor?!", Rapunzel asked.

"We managed to get away, but they took our parents _and_ Elinor!", Emiko said.

This was a stunner to the group.

 _Mum?! They took my mum?!_ , Merida thought.

"But we have a _bigger_ problem right now!", Akemi said.

Akemi needn't say anything: the stench of smoke & the sound of flames caught their nostrils & attention.

"Is the house on _fire?!_ ", Eugene asked.

"Only the driveway, but if it isn't extinguished, it _will_ burn the house!", Emiko said.

"Not if _we_ have a say in it! Eugene…", Kristoff said as he bolted for the front, grabbing the garden hose.

"Got it!", Eugene said, going to the knob & turning on the water.

Kristoff was already at the driveway by the time the water filled the hose as Kristoff sprayed at the flames that were closest to the house, dousing the fire before they could touch the domicile. He does this to the rest of the flames as Maximus & Sven watch the firewall die down in a shower of H20.

It took a full two minutes to completely douse the fire before Kristoff announced it.

Turning off the water & then to the animals, he could see the worried faces on Max & Sven as they point to where the men that took Tajima, Hidemi & Elinor.

"Don't worry, guys – we'll get them back", Kristoff said, focusing on the two the animals captured, his features going hard. "In the _meantime_ …"

They advanced toward the would-be kidnappers of Akemi & Emiko.

Like bags of garbage, the seven men were tossed into a pile by Kristoff, Eugene, Anna, Rapunzel, Merida, Pascal, Akemi, Emiko, Maximus, Sven, Angus & Olaf – _all_ of whom were _extremely_ angry!

"So, how do you want to _do_ this, you guys?", Olaf asked, pounding his fist. "Break some bones? Have the animals kick them around?" His face suddenly turned frivolous & jolly. "Maybe tickle their feet until they talk?"

Pascal slapped his forehead as the rest wore sour faces.

Olaf simply smiled.

The break in tensions was small, but it was all the men needed: each of them unveiled a small revolver that were concealed in their sleeves & aimed them at the group & animals. Pascal caught sight of them & cried out, giving them a split-second warning before the shooting resumed.

Some shots came close, but most of them avoided being hit.

'Most' being the operative term: Angus got struck by three bullets in his right side as he cried out in pain before collapsing on his left, landing with a thud.

" _Angus!_ ", Merida cried out, seeing her faithful steed fall under a barrage of bullets.

This _really_ made her & the others see red as they each attacked the men, buffeting them with punches & kicks as their mouths bled & black/blue marks decorated their faces. As Olaf suggested, arms were broken before they fell into unconsciousness.

Akemi & Emiko stepped in to stop the barrage.

"Stop!", the latter said. "Angus needs our help! If he isn't treated, he'll _die_ from his wounds!"

The group ceased their assault to look at the Clydesdale, who was lying on the ground, his wounds bleeding.

"Let's get those bullets out of him… _fast!_ ", Eugene said, running with Kristoff to get a pair of medical equipment.

Merida ran to her steed with Rapunzel joining her, placing their hands on the wounds to put pressure on them.

Pascal also did so on the third bullet wound.

"Anna, help Emiko & me tie these guys up!", Akemi said as Anna nodded, running to get some rope.

Everybody worked fast on tying up the men & saving Angus' life: Kristoff & Eugene used a pair of long tweezers to dig into the wounds & take the bullets out, one by one. Luckily, they hadn't gone in too deeply, enabling the guys to remove them before Angus' wounds become infected with lead poisoning. The Clydesdale squirmed from each attempt, but Merida kept him calm as best she can while the boys played doctor. Olaf, Maximus & Sven watched as their human friends worked to help Angus, repulsed & disturbed by the scene displayed before them.

They offered silent prayers to their Clydesdale friend.

"Got it! Last one!", Kristoff announced, holding up the final bullet.

"Go do your thing, Rapunzel! _We'll_ finish tying up these creeps!", Anna said as Rapunzel placed her head on the Clydesdale's first wound.

Singing her special song, Rapunzel's hair glowed as Angus' wound closed up, followed by the other two shortly after. When she finished,, Angus' wounds were nonexistent, & the Clydesdale neighed softly.

Placing her hand over Angus' heart, Rapunzel can feel a steady heartbeat, making her smile.

"He's going to be okay", she said, relieving Merida & the rest.

"Thank you, Rapunzel", Merida said sincerely. "I owe you, Pascal, Kristoff & Eugene big-time."

"No need, Merida – you'd do the same for _my_ steed & Sven", Eugene said as Kristoff nodded.

"Every time."

Touching moment aside, they still needed to finish tying the bad men up & wonder on what direction to go from this point on.

After the men were secured, they go on to their next problem.

"Due to what happened, it wouldn't be safe for us to remain here in case _more_ of these creeps decide to come in & _finish_ the job _they_ started", Anna said, jerking a thumb to those tied up.

"And while Rapunzel's power heals wounds instantly, I wouldn't allow for Angus to go charging off into battle anytime soon", Merida adds.

"You're thinking of grounding him, Merida?", Emiko asked as the redhead nods.

"I'd rather not take that chance, Emiko. You understand."

"We certainly do, Merida", Kristoff said. "If it were Sven or Maximus that got shot, Eugene & I would make that same choice ourselves."

Eugene, Max & Sven nodded as one.

"There has to be _someplace_ to allow Angus to rest without the threat of more gunmen wanting to kill him, not to mention us", Rapunzel says. "But where?"

Olaf gave it thought, & an answer entered his frosty head.

"Why not Hiroshi?", he said. "I'm betting those creeps don't know about _him_ yet, so…"

"That's _brilliant_ , Olaf!", Akemi said, digging out her cell phone & dialing his number.

"Good thinking, Olaf!", Anna said, turning to Emiko. "While Akemi contacts Hiroshi, why don't _you_ get in touch with Yoshi, Emiko? _He_ needs to know what happened here too!"

"You read my mind, Anna!", Emiko says, getting her own cell phone out.

Like her sister does with Hiroshi, Emiko speaks with the JSDF commander.

 _Somewhere deep in the Pacific Ocean, hours later:_

Alura steered her personal sub through the waters of the Pacific as Elsa, Maui & Moana enjoy the scenery that occurred on the other side of the window. The quartet could see various types of aquatic life that swam on by, from the smallest minnows & sea horses to fish that would be served on a platter at one's favorite restaurant. The quartet even saw a couple of sharks swim by, ranging from hammerheads to the great white itself.

It reminded Maui & Moana of the 1975 blockbuster horror movie 'Jaws', directed by Steven Spielberg & starring Richard Dreyfuss, the late Roy Scheider & Robert Shaw.

Maui resisted saying Roy's iconic quote 'you're gonna need a bigger boat' upon seeing the great whites.

To add to the fabulous scenery, they also caught an octopi or two swimming around, with one of them catching & eating an unlucky fish within its reach. During her days in Arendelle, Elsa could never observe sea life in this manner, watching them from the safety of thick glass as they perform as nature intended them; to have this experience was an amazing sight to behold, & it gave her an idea to one day visit an aquarium with her family.

But that would have to wait for another time: the mission was never far behind in their minds, & Moana brought up something concerning it.

"When we _get_ to Seatopia, how will we be able to get inside without being detected by Fumio & his men?", she asked.

"There's a service tunnel that's known only to my brother & myself", Alura says. "We've had it developed just in case either of us were ever forced to abandon the city for any reason."

"You & your brother were _wise_ to have installed it, Alura", Maui said. "It's probably what saved your life."

"Undoubtedly", Elsa said. "How much longer until we finally _reach_ Seatopia, Alura?"

"Somewhere between an hour or two, tops", Alura replied. "In the meantime, continue to enjoy the scenery."

Grinning, they do precisely that.

Finally, after an hour & fifteen minutes, they've reached their destination: a large outcropping of a mountain as it blends in with the ocean bottom, complete with barnacles/seaweed on the surface as sea life occupy various areas of this mass of rock.

It would be the entranceway to the kingdom of Seatopia – a place Elsa never thought she'd be returning to after Jiro Dobashi helped her to escape when agents captured her at her new home.

But she would not be a captive this time.

She would help to free it from invaders that came out of nowhere.

And she would not be alone.

"This is it, people. Be ready for anything", Alura cautioned.

"Understood", Elsa, Maui & Moana said.

The sub entered a secret passage which opened up when Alura pressed a button on her console. She dimmed the lights on the sub & used its night vision sensors to guide her way through, putting the sub on stealth mode to mask their approach as much as possible. The quartet stayed silent as well, wanting to rely on stealth when they make their grand entrance into the undersea kingdom to do the job as efficiently as possible.

Finally, it resurfaced in a small area with a private dock which the sub rested at.

Killing all noise, the group quietly exit the sub once Alura opens the hatch.

Getting onto the dock, a door on the far wall opened up as dozens of men in dark suits poured out of it with guns drawn. Elsa & the others get into attack formation as they get surrounded.

"Don't even _think_ about it, Elsa!", said a familiar voice who appeared after the last men poured out of the door.

Fumio stood at the entrance, along with Kubota by his side, the latter of whom held a round collar-like device in one hand & a gun in the other. The gun was pointed at an elderly man who was on his knees, fearing for his life.

"If we see so much as even the tiniest snowflake emerge from your hands, this man's death will be on you!", said Fumio. "Therefore, if I were you, I'd stay very still & _not_ do anything stupid!"

Nodding to Kubota, he tosses the device to one of his men.

"Put that on her!", he ordered as the man nods & walks up to Elsa, her hands raised like her friends'.

Raising his gun to her face, the man placed the collar around Elsa's neck & clicked it shut, a light blinking green to show it was active. The man backed away as Fumio & Kubota smile.

"What _is_ this thing?", Elsa wondered.

"A device which nullifies your powers", Kubota says. "As long as you wear that around your neck, you can't use any of it. _That_ will keep you nice & docile for us to handle as you & your friends become our prisoners."

"And now that you're as harmless as a fly, let's take a walk, shall we?", Fumio says, gesturing to the door as the men do the same with their guns.

Having no other choice, the captured quartet followed Fumio & Kubota inside.

When they were twenty feet away, the sound of gunshots were head, followed by a body collapsing.

Elsa's blood ran cold with fury: even after she surrendered to them, they shot & killed the old man anyway.

"You _animal_ …!", Moana barked.

The two leaders simply smiled.

"He was on his death bed anyway", Kubota said. "We merely did him a favor."

"And now that _that's_ been settled, let's get into the Queen's chambers", Fumio said. "Elsa & I have a little bit of, shall we say…catching up to do."

"'Catching up'? What _do_ you mean by that?", Elsa wondered.

"You'll find out soon enough."

They kept on walking until they entered Alura's private bedroom.

Ordering half of the men outside, the rest remain to keep their weapons trained on their four captors as Fumio & Kubota stand directly in front of Elsa & company.

Were it not for the guns pointed at them, they'd charge both leaders & beat them within an inch of their lives.

"You _knew_ I was coming back with help…didn't you?", Alura says.

"We certainly did, my dear", Kubota said. "I admit, Fumio & I were most upset when you escaped our grasp the other day, but then we thought it would give us the opportunity we were looking for: as you surmised, we _did_ know you would go to Elsa for help to try & free your kingdom. That's why we waited to ambush you once you arrived. And lo & behold, you delivered _exactly_ who we wished to get our hands on, along with two more slaves. For _that_ , dear Alura, we thank you."

"How did you even _know_ of the entrance to my private sub?"

"My dear Alura, when we took over your kingdom, we thoroughly studied the entire layout of this place: there isn't a hidden passage we aren't aware of. But let's get back to cases, shall we?"

"For once, we agree, Kubota!", Elsa said. "Why _were_ you so anxious to get your filthy mitts on me? What have _I_ ever done to _you_ people?!"

"We're glad you asked, Elsa", Fumio said. "It's like this: our ancestors came to this planet nearly 3,000 years ago from Space Hunter Nebula M, our home. We were searching throughout the galaxy for a new planet to call our own since it was deteriorating more rapidly than we could imagine. On that first visit to Earth, we set forth our two monsters – the three-headed golden dragon King Ghidorah, & the monster crocodile which we called Lizzie – to deal with those that lived on the surface. But we were met with fierce opposition: Titanosaurus, Manda, Mothra, Battra & that accursed demigod Maui, fought & defeated our monsters _and_ the mothership, thus saving Earth. Years later, _we_ arrived to Earth to succeed where our ancestors failed. Upon arriving, we discovered a massive blizzard forming in the country which you call Norway was not a _natural_ phenomenon…it was summoned by _you_ , dear Elsa! Upon receiving this information, we felt that your power would be of great asset to us & deciding on capturing you for our purposes. But the storm you conjured up was stronger than even _we_ ever imagined, & to our dismay, we were caught in its fury & crash-landed deep within your planet. By the time we thawed out & awoke, we learned that over 200 years of the planet's time has passed."

This was a stunning development to the quartet, most notably Elsa.

 _The time I conjured up that brief but terrible blizzard after I escaped from my own dungeon!_ , Elsa thought. _Fumio & his people were arriving to Earth that very same time?!_

Fumio & Kubota smiled at the reaction on their faces.

"Surprised, Elsa?", Kubota says. "I suppose we don't blame you: you couldn't have known at the time. But you _still_ thwarted our plans, & now that we have you, you & your friends are going to pay the price."

"How did you even _know_ I was still alive?", Elsa wondered.

"When we thawed out, we studied the world & its customs for over a year to understand how it operated", Fumio explained. "Once we learned that you _were_ alive after conjuring up your giant snow monster to fight Godzilla when he invaded Tokyo, we kept tabs on you from your fight with the Seatopians when it was still under Antonio's rule to when you returned to Japan after your little concert in New York's Manhattan. It was shortly after that we decided to have you invited to our office in Osaka for a generous offer to your adoptive father – an offer he stubbornly refused."

"We're _glad_ he turned your offer down, Fumio! _Your_ idea of sciences are no more than a deluded _fantasy!_ "

"That's where you're wrong, Elsa", Kubota says. "Our sciences are _very much_ real, & they will be implemented once this planet becomes ours. Such a shame that you & your friends won't be _seeing_ those technological advances, as you'll be working as slaves down here for the rest of your days. And on _that_ particular note…"

"Yes, it's time for you to meet your drill instructor – one that is sure to run you ragged until you collapse", Fumio says, gesturing with his head to his men.

Doing so with their guns, Elsa & company follow Fumio & Kubota out of Alura's chambers & into the hallway of the kingdom – one of which has had a makeover since she'd been here last.

The caravan halted when the two leaders did next to a door.

"Before we meet your drill instructor, we'd like to show you something first", Fumio said, opening the door that leads into a room with three large metal/glass containers inside. Each one was 30 meters tall & filled with water, but it was what rested within each one that really caught their attention: the first one contained a large light gray-colored squid creature with a bullet-shaped upper body, a pair of yellow/red eyes & eight tentacles; the second one was a giant 25-meter-tall crimson pumice crab with claws that had sharp jagged teeth, hard shell & eyes on a pair of stalks; the third was a giant dark gray rock turtle measuring the same length, sporting a hard bumpy shell on its back, short tail, clawed feet on each of its four legs, an arrow-shaped head on a neck that can extend/extract at will, its mouth filled with sharp teeth.

Elsa was stunned at seeing these creatures again, having encountered two of them in the Kanegatake region, & the squid during her escape with Dobashi in the sub that first time.

"I _remember_ those creatures!", she said. "Godzilla Junior _destroyed_ two of them, while King Seesar killed the squid! How could they be here now?"

"The ones Godzilla Junior & King Seesar fought were _clones_ , Elsa", Alura explains. "What I hadn't mention to you & Dobashi last time was that Antonio captured these three – the originals – and kept them in captivity to do with as he saw fit. After my brother was defeated, we were meaning to set them free – until _Fumio_ came along."

"Quite right", Fumio said. "The giant squid is called Gezora, the large pumice crab is named Ganime, & the rock turtle creature is called Kameba. When we first saw them, we thought of destroying them, but then we believed these creatures would be of great value to us, & thus we spared them. They will be quite useful in our plans for this planet of yours, & we want to thank you again for saving them for us, Alura."

The Queen of Seatopia just scowled at him, as did Elsa, Maui & Moana.

Fumio & Kubota smiled, loving their helplessness.

"Okay, I think you've seen enough", the latter said. "Time to meet your drill instructor: he's _always_ quite anxious whenever we feed him 'fresh meat'."

Both leaders chuckle at his little joke before the group exited the room & continued down the hall. The quartet saw several Seatopian citizens being forced to do labors for their captors, none of which had looked their way for fear of getting beaten and/or shot.

It broke Alura's heart.

 _They practically drained the very essence out of my people_ , she thought with sadness. _Was bringing Elsa & her friends here to inspire courage into them to resist these savages a big mistake?_

A huge pang of guilt was creeping into her very own soul.

Fumio & Kubota lead the group to another door that he opens. Once he does, the sounds of hard labor & people working/grunting filled their ears as Fumio's men were pushing the Seatopians to their physical limits, whipping each that doesn't perform their duties as ordered. Alura & company can see various weapons & other types of machinery get constructed here, along with fortifying the kingdom itself.

But the sight that disturbed them the most was the sight of a large coconut crab whose color was a blue hue, with a shell that was covered in things that sparkled. The left front leg behind its main claws was cut in half, leaving a stub.

Maui & Moana could hardly believe it: this giant 50-foot crab was the exact same one they'd been searching for almost two years.

" _Tamatoa!_ ", Fumio called to him, his voice amplified via a small mic the shape/size of a ball-point pen.

The giant coconut crab turned in a speed that belied his great size to see Fumio & Kubota, grinning.

 _He's even more hideous than Maui & Moana had described him!_, Elsa thought, scowling at him.

Alura, Maui & Moana do the same, having a deep loathing for the giant arthropod.

"Fumio & Kubota!", Tamatoa said, scuttling over towards them. "How _may_ I serve you today, my masters?"

"We have some new recruits for you, Tamatoa!", Kubota says, gesturing to said people.

Tamatoa stared hard at his new batch of slaves, his eyes widening at who he saw.

"Ah, the Queen! Couldn't stay away for long, could you?", he joked with a chuckle before focusing on Elsa. "I do believe _you_ are the fabled 'Snow Queen' I've heard so much about, although I must admit you don't _look_ like much! I for one thought that somebody of _your_ reputation might be a little bit…taller!"

Tamatoa laughed as Elsa's scowl deepened, taking a huge disliking to this crustacean.

Her eyes go back & forth at the crab, who frowns.

"Okay, look, just pick a stalk…any stalk! I _hate it_ when people go from eye to eye!", he fumed.

Elsa simply disobeyed him, making Tamatoa angry before getting closer to her.

"You just _wait_ until I put you & your friends to _work_ , little miss Snow Queen!", he snarled.

"Do your _worst_ , monster!", Elsa growled. "You're _lucky_ I have this collar on my neck, because otherwise…"

"Aww, does poor little Elsa have a bad case of 'ring around the collar'?", Tamatoa teased. "That's too bad, sister – for _you!_ _I_ was put on ice for nearly 3,000 years…" He leaned in closer to Elsa. "And I ain't _never_ going into the deep freeze again!"

His eyes finally focus on his last two new recruits, & something hits him right away: using his claws, he picked up Maui & Moana & held him to his face. Both crossed their arms & stared in defiance, refusing to show any fear.

"There's something…oddly _familiar_ about _you two_ little piggies!", Tamatoa says, staring intently at them.

A vision appeared in his mind, & the giant crab's eyes widened as his mouth became a huge grin.

"Oh my… _this_ is too good to be _true!_ ", Tamatoa says, chuckling. " _You're_ the living descendants of the _original_ Maui & Moana… _aren't_ you?!"

Neither one said anything as they kept their hateful stare at him.

"Oh, it _is_ true!", the crab creature said. "You both got that same style, same personality, same exposition…" The crab took a sniff of his two captors. "Same godawful stench!"

Tamatoa placed them down next to Elsa & Alura.

"So, these two are the living descendants of the legendary demigod & voyager, are they?", Kubota says. "Even _we_ didn't see that coming!"

"I should say not!", Fumio said. "Looks like fate has smiled upon you on this day, Tamatoa…more than even _we_ could ever imagine!"

"And how, master!", Tamatoa said, staring at Maui & Moana. "Just wait until you both start laboring: you'll work until you drop & then you'll work even _more_ afterwards! After just one day under _my_ supervision, you'll wish you've _never_ been born! So…any last words you want to share before your lives become a living nightmare?"

Maui & Moana each raise a fist at Tamatoa before showing him a single finger.

The crab's grin turned into a frown of disapproval.

"Oh yeah, that's _really_ colorful – _and_ very _mature_ , I _assure_ you!", he scoffed, waving a claw in dismay.

Despite their dire predicament, Elsa & Alura couldn't help but to giggle softly at the display.

"And what are _you_ both giggling at?", Tamatoa demanded.

"Oh, I don't know…maybe it's because Maui & Moana here _still_ think you're nothing but a big buffoon, & that they're going to make a bonafide _fool_ out of you _just_ like their ancestors did!", Elsa mocked with a fiendish grin.

This made the crab creature grit his teeth in rage as Maui & Moana grin & chuckle.

"Let's see _how_ funny you think this _is_ once you start _slaving_ for me!", he said.

"Not today, Tamatoa", Kubota said. "Keep them close by you so they can witness your brand of punishment as you force the others to work. Once they get a close view of what they can expect beginning tomorrow, your torture of them will be all the more pleasant."

"Here's something _else_ to weigh heavy on their minds as they slave away", Fumio puts in. "Kubota & I will be on our way back to Japan to start our takeover of the Earth. Not only that, we have their friends & families as prisoners, who'll get to see first-hand the destruction of their world."

The shocked looks of Elsa & her friends was priceless to Fumio & Kubota, which also included Tamatoa.

"Ooh, struck a nerve, did we?", he says, grinning. "Go ahead & _cry_ , kids – you ain't _never_ seeing them _again!_ "

Elsa & her group again resisted the urge to leap at Fumio & his second.

"If you've harmed even _one hair_ on _any_ of their heads, I swear to the Heavens I'll…", Elsa started to say.

One of the men slapped her across the face, causing her to see spots.

"You'll do _nothing_ , little girl…except _obey!_ ", he barked.

Elsa stared daggers at the man, daring him to try & hit her again.

"You want to try that with _me_ , mister?!", Maui barked as he, Moana & Alura also stared hard at him.

"Let them be", Fumio said, stopping him from trying. "They can do nothing to prevent the inevitable. Take your men & go over to the senior officer & tell him that he's in charge while we're away."

"Yes sir", he said, leading his men away.

"Goodbye, Elsa", Fumio says. "You & your friends enjoy your stay down here in Seatopia while _we_ conquer the world up above, beginning with Osaka."

Turning, both leaders walk away, leaving Elsa & her friends with Tamatoa.

"Let's give you kiddies a little preview of what you'll be _endorsing_ tomorrow, shall we?", he says with a nasty grin.

The quartet stared at him with fire in their eyes.

 _Hiroshi's house, Kanagawa Perfecture, Tokyo, Japan:_

After calling Hiroshi & Yoshi, both arrived at the Sugimoto house with the JSDF commander doing so in a pickup with a mobile stable to place Angus into, with the techno wizard & his nephew in his own vehicle. Driving to Hiroshi's domicile, they carefully placed the stable in the backyard for Angus to take refuge & stay warm in. Merida had fed him oats to keep up his strength, & they all thanked them for their services.

The men said that it was nothing, they were happy to help _and_ that Angus will be safe in his domain.

They also said they will do what they can to get Tajima & the others back.

Suddenly, Akemi's phone rings & she took it out: when she checked the number, it displayed 'unknown'.

Akemi answered it anyway.

"Moshi-moshi?", she says.

" _Akemi Sugimoto_ ", the voice said in accented English. " _Listen to me very carefully:_ _I know exactly where those men have taken your family & friends._"

Noticing that the others are watching her, Akemi pressed on.

"Talk to me", she said in English after putting it on loud speaker for all to hear.

 _Seatopia, nightfall:_

With a pair of guards keeping an eye on them at all times, Elsa, Alura, Maui & Moana were forced to watch as Tamatoa mercilessly pushed the people of Seatopia beyond their physical endurance: shoving them with a leg, hitting the ground with his claws whenever someone fouls up, snapping his claws to motivate them further, or simply tease the ones that cried, pleaded and/or begged for food/water.

In one gruesome display, Tamatoa actually _ate_ an elderly woman when she fell from delivering metal rods, putting more fear into the rest as the coconut crab stated they would be next unless they worked harder.

The quartet did their best not to be sick.

Tamatoa's torture of the Seatopian people lasted until nightfall when he ordered those watching Elsa & her group to be taken to their cell & thrown inside. One of the men had even told them to enjoy their nap, adding 'sweet dreams' before they took off, laughing loudly.

Left alone in their cell, Alura & her friends gathered their bearings & racked their brains to figure a way out.

"Not the kind of rescue we were _hoping_ to perform for these people, was it?", Moana says.

"We were ambushed, Moana", Elsa said. "We _couldn't_ have known they were waiting for us to return."

"But they _did_ , & now we're _powerless_ to stop Fumio from invading your world topside", Alura said.

She sagged alongside the wall, looking like she was about to cry.

"I'm _so sorry_ , Elsa", she wept.

"For what, Alura?", she asked as Elsa, Maui & Moana sat beside her.

"I thought that by bringing _you_ back here, the people's spirits would be risen & fight against their oppressors. But due to Tamatoa's merciless treatment, he's broken them even worse that I could imagine: he takes pleasure in their misfortunes & teases them with it without a care in the world. My brother was harsh sometimes, yes, but even _he_ would never be _that_ callous & cold-hearted. I wanted to bring _hope_ to my people & _save_ them from all this. I failed."

Alura began sobbing softly, burying her head in her arms.

Elsa & her friends look to her with sympathy as the Snow Queen gently raised her head to face her.

"You only did what _you_ thought was best for your people", she says. "They were suffering, & you sought to get help from the only people you believed in to assist you in that. If our roles were reversed, do you honestly think I would do any less?"

Alura's answer was almost immediate.

"No, Elsa…you wouldn't", she says, wiping away her tears. "But how _can_ we help my people? With that collar on your neck, you can't use your power, & we can't even get out of this cell."

"I can fix all that, Alura", Maui says, getting to his feet along with Moana & Alura.

"How?", Elsa wondered, getting up herself.

"Just stay very still, Elsa. Maui's got this", Moana said as said person approached Elsa & raised his fingers to her collar. From the tips of Maui's fingers, thin streams of electric voltage emerged & struck Elsa's collar, shortening it out before it clicks open & falls to the floor.

Elsa & Alura watched in shock & amazement.

"Maui, how did you…", Alura started to say.

"I'm the living descendant of a demigod, remember?", Maui says with a grin. "I usually don't use this power I've been born with unless it's a dire emergency. Our current situation definitely qualifies as one."

"Elsa, Alura, we're really sorry to have kept this from you, but Maui & myself felt it best that what _friends_ don't know…", Moana began.

" _Enemies_ don't know", Elsa said, grinning. "No apologies necessary, Moana: it was a sound tactic, & I may have an idea or two to help settle this, now that my power's back."

The Snow Queen made a mini statue of herself in the palm of her hand to confirm her theory before causing it to vanish. Alura, Maui & Moana smile at the display.

"Tell us your ideas along the way, Elsa", Maui said, raising his hands already glowing with electricity. "We're busting out of this joint."

Elsa nodded.

Seeing the area deserted, Maui used his electricity to open the door by shorting out the lock. Staying together, the quartet reach every cell door as Maui & Elsa use their power to short-circuit each locking mechanism & allow freedom to all the other prisoners being kept.

When they were done, over 200 prisoners were loose.

"My Queen!", said a man in his 30s. "I knew it! I _knew_ you would come & rescue us from Fumio's people! Not only that, you brought the Snow Queen with us!"

"And a few extra friends", Elsa said, referring to Maui & Moana as they grin.

"And now that we _are_ free, we're ready to take down these people once & for all!", said a man in his 60s. " _To the death!_ "

The ex-prisoners raised their fists & cry out in vengeance.

It gave Elsa & company some cause for concern.

"Wait, my people", Alura replied, getting their attention. "Let's make a plan to get you all to safety first. Once I know you're all safe, we can find some way to retake our home, and…"

"I'm afraid it's too late for that, my Queen", said a woman in her 50s. "There's been too many of us who've been beaten & tortured by Fumio & his people, not to mention their giant pet Tamatoa. Because of them, our home is all but _lost_ , & all we want is to deliver a final blow that is sure to take them out for good."

"Even if that means _you_ all die with them?", Moana asked as every head nodded.

"Better to receive a quick death in battle than to suffer a slow, torturous one under _their_ heels", said a young man as a cheer of approval came from the crowd.

"Are you _positive_ you people want to go that far?", Maui asked. "This is your _home_ we're talking about. Isn't there another way to resolve this?"

"This isn't our home anymore, son", said an elderly man. "Not since _they_ claimed it as their own."

"All we ask is that you & your friends get our queen away to safety", said the man's wife. "Promise us?"

Elsa, Maui & Moana looked at Alura, who nodded: she knew this is what her people wish for, & there was no convincing them otherwise.

"If that's what you all have decided…", Elsa began.

"We promise", the trio said in unison.

The prisoners smiled in gratitude.

"Now that we're on the same page, how do we go about doing this?", Moana asked.

Elsa, Alura & a few of the prisoners started tossing ideas around.

 _Forty minutes later:_

Once their plan was formulated, Alura, Elsa, Maui, Moana & the prisoners wasted no time implementing it: with a simple blast of electric voltage from his fingers, Maui blasted away Nebula M soldiers left & right as the prisoners all started beating on them & taking their weapons, using them on every Nebula M soldier they come in contact with.

The sound of prisoners crying out for vengeance could be heard even from where Tamatoa & his crew were at as they continue forcing the kingdom's inhabitants to labor, regardless of their physical condition.

Everyone stopped as the sound became louder by the second.

"What's that sound?", Tamatoa wondered. "One of y'all better start talking! I wanna know what that sound is! Is it a good thing, a bad thing…what?"

His answer came as the noise of guns going off, this time killing Nebula M soldiers as several fell down like a group of dominoes before the volley of former prisoners rushed inside the room & attacked their former masters with bare fists & whatever weapons they could get their hands on. Those in the room tried to assist their comrades but were immediately taken down by the slaves they were pressing on.

Now the tables were turned, & the one-time abusers were paying dearly for it.

During the melee, Elsa came behind the giant crab with Alura, Maui & Moana following close behind. The giant coconut crustacean was busy trying to restore order under the chaos & confusion taking place.

It gave her the perfect opportunity.

 _Okay Tamatoa, you were always good at picking on anyone that was smaller than you!_ , Elsa thought, pointing her right hand forward as snow & ice emerged from her fingers. _Now let's see how well you deal with somebody who's_ your _size!_

"Hey, hey, _hey!_ What _is_ this?!", Tamatoa fumed. "You all _revolting?! Nobody_ revolts here! Did _I_ say you could revolt?! I assure you, I did _not_ , so y'all better cut it out before I _really_ get steamed! And when I get steamed, it _ain't_ gonna be a very pretty sight, let me tell _you!_ I'm giving y'all till the count of three 'fore I…"

As Tamatoa rambled, Ela's ice/snow started forming behind the coconut crab, growing in size & making a sort of noise that caught the crustacean's attention.

"There's something going on _behind_ me, isn't there?", Tamatoa asked before he turned around to see something that made his jaw drop: a 50-foot-tall snow beast with powerful legs & arms, hands with four fingers, a pear-shaped head with a gaping mouth & iris-less eyes. Pointed icicles formed on its fingers, back & inside its mouth as fangs.

Elsa has recreated Marshmallow – the giant snowman she once used to be her bodyguard when she went into a state of seclusion in Arendelle's mountain area, & again to battle Godzilla in Tokyo last year.

Now he faces Tamatoa.

" _Bad crab!_ ", Marshmallow bellowed before backhanding the coconut crab hard across the face, sending him into a pile of building materials that get scattered everywhere. The shiny objects on his shell also get scattered.

What's more, Tamatoa finds himself in a position he's been in twice before – upside down on his shell.

"Oh, terrific!", Tamatoa pouted. "In almost 3,000 years since my release, they just _had_ to get me in _this_ awkward position again!"

His eyes widened when he saw Marshmallow approach him, his fists raised & ready to give the coconut crab a serious pounding. Marshmallow swung his fists down on the crab, but Tamatoa snatched his wrists & cut them off just as easily as if they were paper. The snowman's hands fell to the floor in snow piles, leaving stumps on his wrists.

The coconut crab laughed amusingly.

"What will you do _now_ , fella…since you can't _grab_ or _punch_ anything no more?", he teased, grinning.

Like Olaf, Elsa equipped Marshmallow with a snow could over his head which enabled him to regenerate any of his limbs he loses. Tamatoa's grin disappears when he sees Marshmallow's hands reforming like magic before him.

" _That_ ain't fair!", the crab complained as Marshmallow grabbed him by the legs & threw him over to where a stash of parts that were to make more submarines, crushing them like tin foil.

In this attack, Tamatoa was back on his feet again.

And now that he is, the coconut crab charged at Marshmallow as the snowman did the same: both collided in a fierce battle where crab claws & powerful snow fists/icicle claws clashed violently, each one dishing out & receiving blows that would possibly kill anything smaller than them. The surrounding area gets ruined as materials get tossed in all directions, with some hitting both captives & victims & crushing them from above. Marshmallow raked at Tamatoa with his icicle claws, with the coconut crab doing the same with his own: he even snipped off one of the snowman's legs to try & cripple him, but like his hands, they regenerated quickly to enable him to keep fighting.

A clobbering fist to Tamatoa's face caused him to back away & regain his bearings as he & Marshmallow stare at each other with a burning hatred & cold features, determined to bring his opponent down.

" _Rip you apart & EAT you!_", Marshmallow bellowed.

"Oh _yeah?!_ Come & _try it_ , snowman!", Tamatoa barked, gritting his teeth.

Both combatants roared before going at each other again.

Their battle became even fiercer.

 _The control room:_

The senior officer who Fumio left in charge scrambled to get the situation under control as monitors everywhere showed chaos with the Seatopian slaves turning on & pounding on their Nebula M captors, their hatred giving them the strength to resist & fight despite many of them being malnourished. Add to that the savage battle between Tamatoa & Marshmallow, everything his two leaders have worked hard for was going down the drain.

For over an hour this pandemonium ensued, & it was only getting worse by the second.

If order isn't restored soon, it will be _him_ that gets shot down like they've done to many prisoners that resisted or disobeyed an order.

But the senior officer knew exactly who was responsible for causing such a ruckus: the Snow Queen Elsa, the former queen of Seatopia & their two friends. His blood boiled from seeing the chaos they caused by their revolt, & he vowed to make them suffer slowly.

First, he has to _find_ them: shortly after the revolt began, the monitors went out & turned each screen into black & white fuzz. Technicians worked frantically to restore vision throughout the complex.

"Aren't you _finished_ yet?!", the senior officer barked.

" _We'll have visuals again in one more minute!_ ", said one man.

"Then hurry up! We need to _find_ Elsa & her friends & _terminate_ them for their insubordination! Should we fail, it'll be _us_ that get executed, so move quicker with the repairs if you wish to keep seeing…"

"Sir! Look there!", one man said, pointing to a monitor that has already been restored.

Looking at the now-functioning monitor, the senior officer can see a pair of the kingdom's submarines – silver in color with a torpedo shape, twin turbines & measuring the length of three school buses – moving on fast through the ocean & away from the undersea kingdom.

 _They're escaping!_ , the senior officer thought with fury.

He was about to announce for the pursuit of the two subs when something else caught his eye: Elsa, Alura, Maui & Moana standing in the center of the main generator room, each with a gun in their hands & aimed at the door, ready to shoot at the first ones that enter.

 _Now I see!_ , the senior officer thought. _The two subs were just a distraction – the queen Alura & her friends are still here! That's good…now that we know where they _really _are, it's time to put these dogs down for good!_

"Attention!", he spoke orally into the microphone. "Alura & her friends are all hiding in the main generator room! Your orders are to shoot them all on sight the moment you open that door! _Get going!_ "

Several of the Nebula M soldiers rushed to said area of the undersea kingdom & arrived in less than a minute.

Armed with guns, they all raised their weapons & waited for the leader of the group to give the signal.

Inside the main generator room, Elsa, Alura, Maui & Moana stood their ground, not budging an inch.

Giving the signal, one of the soldiers opens the door & those with a clear shot immediately fired upon their four targets dead-on.

A second or two later, their worlds flashed white & then dark as a powerful explosion ripped through them like a tidal wave.

The blast created a chain reaction that spread throughout the undersea kingdom, killing Seatopian & Nebula M soldier alike & obliterating everything in its path.

Even Tamatoa & Marshmallow were caught in the blast, & their bodies were thrown by the powerful force.

 _In the ocean:_

The two subs sped through the water as Elsa & Alura went in one with the Seatopia Queen at the helm, with Maui & Moana in the other as the former took the stick. The Nebula M senior officer made a miscalculation: the subs _weren't_ distractions as he first surmised, for they really _did_ contain their intended targets. Before leaving for the port, Elsa & company made a quick stop in the armory to grab an amount of a very powerful explosive used to clear out large areas of rock with ease. Heading over to the main generator room, Elsa constructed flawless ice sculptures of herself, Alura, Maui _and_ Moana with her ice, the explosives concealed inside each one. Alura explained that once the men shoot their 'doubles', the explosion will cause a chain reaction that will spread out & destroy the entire kingdom.

Elsa at first hesitated with the plan, but Alura reminded her that it was what the people of Seatopia wanted, _and_ that it was okay.

Nodding, the Snow Queen followed through with the plan before they made their way to the sub port & got out of the kingdom & away before the inevitable blast.

And then it happened: a powerful explosion ripped through the ocean, & the bright flash of light was visible even from a distance, including the blast's shockwave that soon reached them & shook their rides like they were caught in a strong wind gust. The quartet held on tightly as their rides were jarred before it dissipated only seconds later.

When it stopped completely, everything was like time stood still as it became awfully quiet.

For about a minute.

"Goodbye, Seatopia", Alura said, her voice & face full of sadness.

Elsa's heart was just as crushed: in order to stop a race of malevolent aliens from taking over an undersea kingdom & continue ruling it as their own, they had to commit genocide & wipe out every living soul – inhabitants & conquerors – to make sure their reign of terror ended.

What's more, Elsa had to sacrifice her giant snow guardian Marshmallow a second time.

In the other sub, Maui & Moana were no different: they had a heavy burden of having to destroy an entire world & kill both citizens & aggressors to stop a new group of alien invaders with world domination on their minds.

That burden was no doubt going to haunt them for many years still to come.

"Alura, we're so sorry", Elsa said. "We only wished that there _was_ another way…"

"There wasn't, Elsa", Alura said. "But please don't despair: my people weren't afraid to die if it meant stopping Fumio & his people. However much it may hurt, we should try to honor their choice."

"Hey Elsa?", Moana said from the other sub, their communication channels open. "Maui & I are no less happy on what went down, but Alura has a point: Fumio's people caused _hers_ so much pain in the time they were held captive, they _needed_ to give them serious payback for it, even if it _did_ cost them their lives."

"And they gave _us_ a fighting chance", Maui said. "With Fumio's forces defeated in Seatopia, we can concentrate on those topside. Let's not let their deaths be in vain, okay?"

In their sub, Alura placed a hand on Elsa's shoulder & gave her a small smile, instantly telling her it's okay.

Elsa nodded with a small smile of her own, knowing her friends were all correct.

Half of Fumio's forces were defeated, & now it was time for them to deal with the _other_ half & finish the job.

A warning sound erupted in the subs' cockpits, along with a red flashing light in conjunction of it.

"What is that, Alura? A danger sign?", Maui asked.

"Very much so!", Alura said. "Something is fast approaching our known position!"

The former queen worked several controls on the console, bringing up the radar. It showed a singular object on approach at a rapid pace.

"Could some of Fumio's people managed to get into a sub & followed us in pursuit?", Elsa wondered.

"No, Elsa – the life readings don't detect multiple life forms, but a _singular_ one!", Alura said. "And it's _huge!_ "

The answer was presented to them in a heartbeat.

" _Tamatoa!_ ", the quartet said in unison.

Sure enough, said coconut crab had somehow _survived_ the terrible explosion that destroyed the undersea kingdom & was now in hot pursuit of the two subs containing the escapees, his hide smoking from the heat of the blast & having a menacing grimace on his face. Like a fish, the coconut crab swam through the water with ease, his eyes on the twin subs & never wavering from his course.

He was going to make them all _pay_.

"Alura, do these subs have any _weapons_ on board?", Moana says.

"They definitely do, Moana!", Alura said. "On the console next to the control stick, there are colored buttons that each fire a different weapon! The one you want is the yellow one! Push it… _now!_ "

Without hesitation, Maui pushed said button & got a response: from the sub's stern, a pair of torpedoes raced on forth & headed directly towards Tamatoa. The coconut crab saw the two incoming projectiles & dodged them, but they still stung him when the explosion occurred as they detonated close by.

"Quick – let's each fire _another_ pair while he's still stunned!", Elsa suggested.

"On three – _three!_ ", Maui said, pressing the yellow button again as Alura does the same in her sub.

Two pairs of torpedoes exit the subs in the rear & make their way towards Tamatoa, who fought to get his bearings & caught sight of the _four_ projectiles on approach. Unlike last time, Tamatoa was better prepared: using his swimming grace, he steered clear of each weapon but was still buffeted by the explosions as they tossed him around.

Effective as they are, the torpedoes weren't stopping him.

"We can't let Tamatoa get away, let alone reach the surface!", Elsa said.

"And the torpedoes aren't enough!", Moana said. "Alura – what _other_ armaments do these subs have?"

"There's a maser-like weapon at the bow of our subs!", she says. "But we need to be _facing_ him to fire them!"

"Whatever it takes to put him down! Let's _do_ this!", Maui said, making his vessel do a 180 degree turn as Alura does so with hers. In no time, they were facing the still-approaching Tamatoa.

His face was still burning with rage as he grits his teeth in pure hate.

"Just _wait_ until I get my _claws_ on you people!", he growled, clicking said appendages in anger.

Both vessels stayed put as the coconut crab was closing in.

 _Just come a little closer, Tamatoa…we've got a_ big _surprise waiting for you!_ , Maui thought.

The quarter tensed as their quarry came closer with each passing second, their fingers over the firing button – a white one – that will operate the surprise waiting in store for him.

When Tamatoa was 10 meters from their subs, Alura gave the order.

" _Now!_ "

As one, she & Maui pressed the button that shot forth a powerful bolt of lightning from the very point of the sub's bow that struck Tamatoa dead center. The coconut crab cried out in anguish as the electric voltage coursed through his body, locking up his muscles & making it difficult for him to maneuver.

It was also powerful enough to throw him back several hundreds of feet, putting great distance between himself & his quarries.

"We got him on the ropes, you guys!", Moana said. "Let's go in & finish him off for good while he's down!"

Another beeping noise caught everyone's attention as Alura checked the radar again.

What she & Elsa saw made them smile.

"On second thought, Moana…we can leave Tamatoa to his fate", Alura said.

"What are you _talking_ about, Alura?", Maui asked. "I thought _you_ wanted him dead as much as…"

" _Trust_ her, Maui…Tamatoa isn't going _anywhere_ ", Elsa said. "Let's make haste while we can."

Checking their own radar, Maui & Moana see exactly what Alura & Elsa meant & they do indeed turn their vessel around as Alura does & zoom off at top speed, both of them grinning big.

Getting himself oriented, Tamatoa caught sight of the twin subs making a break for it.

"Oh no you _don't_ , children!", he snarled, resuming pursuit. "You ain't getting away from me _that_ easily, & when I get my mitts on you, I swear to the world below I'm going to…"

The sound of three different noises – a squeak & two different screeching sounds – have made Tamatoa stop in his plight & turned to see where they originated. Both his eyes & mouth went agape as far as they could when he caught sight of Gezora, Ganime & Kameba – the _original_ creatures – coming at him.

 _This_ was why Alura didn't want to continue their barrage on Tamatoa: somehow, these three creatures have _also_ survived the blast which destroyed Seatopia, & were picked up on their radar. The quartet decided to leave Tamatoa to his fate as he now faced the trio of monsters that were held captive for many years by Seatopia's one-time king, & they were angry as the devil himself.

In their anger, they choose to take it out on Tamatoa.

"Oh _sh_ -", Tamatoa started to say until he was grabbed by one of Gezora's tentacles & pulled towards him.

As one, Gezora, Ganime & Kameba savagely attacked Tamatoa, never giving the coconut crab a chance to fight back, let alone cry out in pain.

Outnumbered three to one, the coconut crab was literally torn apart as pieces of him fell to the ocean floor: a leg here & there, followed by his claws. His blood also stained the surrounding area where his appendages fell.

Tamatoa, the cold-hearted coconut crab creature, was history.

Checking the radar to see the freed trio of monsters weren't in pursuit, the quartet kept on swimming off, each of them relieved.

Elsa got on the radio to speak to her friends.

"Maui, Moana…I want you both to head directly for Osaka", she says.

"To get to Fumio & stop him, you mean?", Maui says.

" _And_ to rescue Tajima & the others. There's only _one_ place he would take them to."

"But Elsa, what about you? Where will _you_ be going?", Moana wondered.

"To Tokyo. I'm heading there to get some…reinforcements."

Getting what she means, the living descendants of the legendary demigod & voyager nodded.

"We understand, Elsa", Maui said.

"See you in Osaka", Moana said.

Their sub goes a different route as Elsa & Alura head straight for Japan's capital.

"When we get in close range to Tokyo, I'll call Yoshi", Elsa said.

"You don't _have_ to wait that long, Elsa", Alura said. "You can get in touch with him even though we're still deep underwater."

"How?"

Alura went to the console with one hand & pulled out a wire from underneath the dashboard, handing it to Elsa.

"Our subs have very powerful radio transmitters", Alura explains. "That wire will enable your cell phone to get a clear transmission to whoever you wish to make a call to."

"How powerful _is_ it?", Elsa asks, taking her cell phone out & hooking it up.

"Hooked to the sub, you can reach Tokyo from anywhere in the world – even if you're calling from the North & South Poles, or the Mariana Trench itself", Alura says with a smile.

Smiling herself, Elsa speed-dialed Yoshi's number.

She got a ring tone, & the JSDF Commander answered on the second ring as the phone was set on loud speaker.

" _Elsa! Are you okay? Anna & the others told us about what happened at your house, & that you…_", Yoshi began.

"Don't worry, Yoshi…we're all good", Elsa replied. "Are Anna & the rest okay?"

" _They're doing fine, all things considered. Where are you?_ "

"We've just escaped from Seatopia, & now Alura & I are heading for Tokyo as we speak. We can swap stories once I arrive. Listen, Yoshi, we need to evacuate Osaka right away. Fumio & his people are planning on…"

" _Osaka is being evacuated as we speak, Elsa: Navy forces out at sea reported seeing Godzilla on a direct course towards the city._ "

Elsa & Alura stare at each other in wonderment.

"He knows", they said to one another.

"How soon is he expected to reach there, Yoshi?", Elsa asked.

" _According to our experts, he should be reaching Osaka by sometime tomorrow night_ ", Yoshi replied.

"Then we can most likely expect a great conflict to take place there: Slashfang wasn't the _only_ monster Fumio & his people created."

"He wasn't, Yoshi", Alura puts in. "I've heard of them speaking about _two more_ creations of theirs, but had never gotten the chance to _see_ them: Fumio liked keeping his monsters secret until the very last minute."

"Whatever they are, Alura, Godzilla _won't_ be facing them alone", Elsa finished. "Go get the Big Guy fired up & ready to go, Yoshi. We're _definitely_ going to be needing him."

" _He'll be all set when the moment arrives, Elsa, Alura. See you ladies in Tokyo._ "

Yoshi hung up before either lady could answer back.

Disconnecting the wire from her phone, Elsa pocketed it & sat back in her seat as Alura headed for said city.

The rest of their trip was in silence.

 **CHAPTER IX**

 _Tai Tam, Hong Kong Island, Saturday, November 12_ _th_ _, 8:00 p.m.:_

The time was just about upon them, & the North Korean men could feel it.

Ignoring sleep, hunger & cold, they continued sitting Indian-style & chanting in their native tongue around the giant stone statue of Pulgasari, the Minotaur beast that stood 65 meters tall. In a repeated loop, they kept their composure & remained in their position almost as if they were statues themselves. Had it not been for the constant moving of their mouths & the sounds they made, it's exactly what one _would_ believe them to be.

For two days straight, these men went at it without pause.

And finally, it happened: the sound of scraping stone caused the men to cease their chant & look to the statue to see it cracking in multiple areas as pieces began falling off to reveal flesh beneath. The men rose to their feet & gave it distance as more pieces fell away, with Pulgasari coming to life before their eyes.

When all the pieces of the monster's stone shell was removed, Pulgasari let out a blaring roar that sounded like a bull's as he raised his arms, happy to be free after so many centuries.

The North Korean men cheered, happy to see the monster alive.

"Pulgasari lives!", said one man. "And now that he does, he will get us _revenge_ on those who've imprisoned him all those years ago, _and_ on those that killed our supreme leader Kim Jong Un!"

Another boisterous cheer erupted within the cavern as Pulgasari notices the humans on the ground.

Staring up at the creature, the men placed their hands together in desperate prayer.

"Pulgasari!", another man cried out, who was their leader. "We come to you in our most desperate hour of need! The ones who've placed you in your stage of imprisonment are still among the living! Not only that, they have invaded & defiled our very _homeland!_ We've come here to offer ourselves to you as willing sacrifices so that you may _defeat_ the ones that have _dared_ to perform such unforgiving atrocities! _Take us_ , Pulgasari: take us, & restore the balance of power that is rightfully ours as it should always be!"

The other men all cry out 'Take us, Pulgasari!', spreading their arms out.

It was a clear gesture: having been imprisoned for centuries by the two monsters that defeated him, Pulgasari was enraged by the thought yet tempted by the humans willing to give their lives in order for him to get vengeance.

With a blaring roar, Pulgasari reached down & grabbed two handfuls of men as he brings them up to his mouth.

None of the men offered any resistance, much less tried to escape as they allowed themselves to be grabbed by the Minotaur beast before stuffing them into his mouth. Pulgasari does this to the rest of the men that offered their very lives to this creature.

Amazingly, not one man screamed in terror once even as they were being eaten alive by the monster.

Having consumed each of the men, Pulgasari roared pleasingly as he has not tasted flesh for so long, his strength being somewhat replenished. But he craved for more, & Pulgasari made his way over to the east wall of the cavern as he started pounding on it before using his claws to dig through stone & dirt. His attempts to become free again were all but felt by the people topside, especially a pair of families that were enjoying a hike through the Country Park.

When chunks of rock & dirt began breaking away & flew everywhere, the two families scrambled to avoid being flattened. They stopped just as suddenly as they began.

Peering at the giant hole that was made, they could see a large bull-like head stick out of the opening as it let out a roar to announce its reemergence into the world.

"Pulgasari!", the two fathers say, remembering the legend of the creature from history books.

As Pulgasari climbed out of the hole, the two families ran for their very lives.

One of the wives fell to the ground in her haste, taking her one-year-old son with her as he cried from the surprise hit. As the group quickly help the woman to her feet, Pulgasari heard the cried of the child & turned their way, freezing them with fright as they each stared back. No matter how much they wanted to, none of them could begin to escape as their legs wouldn't work.

Fully emerging out of the hole, the Minotaur beast walked over to the two families & reached out to grab them.

The roar of another creature caused him to stop his progress: Pulgasari turned to see a large dog-like beast that was his size & sported dark brown flesh, light brown fur, three clawed toes/fingers on its feet/hands, large floppy ears, red eyes & a mouth of sharp teeth. In the rear was a tail that ended in a tassel of fur.

Pulgasari was staring at King Seesar, the guardian beast of Okinawa.

He was _also_ staring at one of the two beasts that imprisoned him many years ago, with Mothra being the other.

The Minotaur beast will deal with the giant lepidopteran soon enough.

Right now, he will face this most hated enemy of his: ignoring the humans that were to be his next meals, Pulgasari bellowed a roar at King Seesar, who did the same as he took steps closer to his longtime foe.

The two families caught in the middle used the distraction to run for their lives.

Pulgasari didn't bother chasing after them: he was too busy keeping an eye on King Seesar, his loathing for him on the rise by his mere sight. King Seesar's feelings against Pulgasari were no less loathsome: he still recalled when the North Koreans invaded his home of Okinawa, killing thousands of people & consuming them like they were snacks. He vowed to make him pay for the atrocities committed at his home, & did so years ago.

Now he tends to finish the job he & Mothra started.

Only _this_ time, he's going to put his enemy down for the count or die trying.

Pulgasari had those very same feelings, & he lets King Seesar know it.

Both monsters continue taunting each other with roars of pure abhorrence as King Seesar gets closer to striking distance.

Pulgasari doesn't make it easy for him: turning 180 degrees, he ran off as King Seesar gave chase, not about to let his foe get away. The ground shook with each step the monsters take as they head for the island's main city.

Sirens blared throughout the area as people began to evacuate.

 _Osaka, Japan:_

As soon as word of Godzilla's approach was announced over the city of Japan's second largest metropolitan area, people were taking family members & personal belongings before getting out of the immediate area, taking the fastest route. The majority of people went underground into the parking lots & shopping malls that were built to withstand the tremendous weight of Godzilla & other giant monsters should they ever invade cities like Osaka. Everybody from the Mihara Ward up to the Yodogawa & Tsurumi Wards were vacated as experts believe that Godzilla was likely to enter the city from Osaka Bay.

Should Godzilla enter from any other direction or should he decide to go beyond the already evacuated areas, the people will get an early warning & vacate the premises to avoid mass loss of life.

The evacuation took up to a full day to commence, & the areas cleared out were devoid of life, sans mostly for a plethora of JSDF soldiers stationed in various areas of the city keeping watch.

From the windows of their room inside of the city's Crystal Tower (which was transformed into Sudo Sciences), Tajima & Hidemi Sugimoto, Elinor & Gus Fleming, Patricia & Nathan Benice, Stephanie Beatrice, her assistant & bodyguard Dennis, Philippe Roache & General Ronald Len Ernie watched as the city became evacuated once news of Godzilla's expected arrival was made public. Each of the captives were surprised to see the other caught by Fumio & his people, but were no less happy to see them well despite their predicament. They all shared stories on how they were captured by Fumio's people, getting comforted by their friends.

But worried as they are for each other, the group were more worried for Elsa & company.

"The city may be evacuated, but we _still_ don't know what's happening with the kids", Patricia says.

"That alone scares us more than what Godzilla's going to do to this city, _or_ what Fumio & his people are going to do with _us_ ", Nathan said.

"You don't suppose Fumio's sent out _another_ group of his men to try & capture them again, do you?", wondered Hidemi.

"Can't say for sure, love", Gus said. "But I doubt they'd waste the manpower: with the approach of Godzilla to Osaka, they'll want to save every resource they can for the coming fight."

"But considering that Merida & the others _haven't_ been caught by now, they're no doubt going to try & attempt a rescue of us themselves", Elinor said. "If only we could get in _touch_ with them somehow, but…"

"But they took away our cell phones to _prohibit_ us from doing so", Tajima said. " _We_ can't get in touch with _them_ any more than _they_ can do so with _us_."

"Say, folks, Stephanie & I didn't bring this up before because we felt it isn't our place, but there _is_ something we need to know", Dennis says as Stephanie picked up on his statement, knowing where he's going.

"We get that Fumio's not happy with Tajima turning down his offer of joining businesses when he was given the opportunity, but…what do Philippe, Gus & the General here have to _do_ with it? What do _Dennis_ & myself have to do with this, for that matter? And _why_ are Fumio & Kubota so keen on capturing _Elsa?_ What's _she_ ever done to them?"

Most in the room pondered on what to tell Dennis, Stephanie or even Philippe concerning Elsa & the others, not wanting to tip their hand too soon on the _true_ nature of Tajima & Hidemi's adopted family member.

What's more, none of _them_ really knew why the two in charge were so obsessed with capturing the Snow Queen.

They can't give answers even _they_ don't know themselves.

It was then that the door to their room was unlocked as they all turned to see it open before Fumio's men rushed in with guns drawn, ready to shoot in case they try anything funny.

Said leaders stood at the entrance.

"Stand up, if you please", Kubota said.

Slowly, the ten prisoners rose to their feet.

"What do you want _this_ time, you maggots?", Ronald growled. "You want to execute us while we're standing?"

Both leaders grinned in amusement.

"General Ernie, if we _really_ wanted you all dead, we wouldn't have bothered in capturing you in the first place", Kubota says. "On the contrary, you should consider yourselves very lucky."

"And _why_ should we be doing _that_ , monsieur?", Phillipe asked. "But the better question is…why do you want to capture _Elsa_ so badly?"

"All will be revealed in good time, Mr. Roache", Fumio said. "But right now, it's been reported that Godzilla is in Osaka Bay, meaning…the show will be commencing very soon. If you'll kindly come with us…"

A simple gesture with their guns was all the motivation the ten prisoners need to obey, & they followed Kubota & Fumio out of the room with guards both behind & in front of them. The two leaders took them over to a large room which looked like something from a science-fiction movie: a futuristic console with large monitors that display the city of Osaka at various areas, giving them a literal birds-eye view. Several men were stationed at the console, controlling every function & keeping up to date with events as they happen.

It was definitely a room Tajima & his group have _not_ seen during their last visit to the Crystal Tower.

"So, professor Sugimoto…what do you think of _our_ scientific equipment?", Kubota asks. "Quite the wonders of modern technology, wouldn't you say? One would have to be a _genius_ to conjure up _this_ technological advancement."

"Or even an _alien!_ ", Tajima said, getting their attention.

"And you suspect that _how_ , professor?"

"It doesn't _take_ a genius to figure it out: I've had my suspicions about it ever since Alura came to our home the other day, especially when she mentioned the creature Slashfang in which _you_ people created! It was plain as the noses on our faces: that mutagen you used to make him _isn't_ an updated version of Mugal's like we first thought! It's a new batch from a new group of outer space enemies, & you used Seatopia to stay hidden from the world until you were all ready to show your hand! It's _also_ why we couldn't locate the giant crab Tamatoa for all that time since you unearthed him almost two years ago!"

Fumio & Kubota grinned, being quite impressed.

"Very perceptive, professor Sugimoto", Fumio said. "You're every bit the scientist as we've been lead to believe. But you still don't know the _whole_ story, & while we're not ready to relay _that_ information to you just yet, what we _are_ going to share is something that may shock you."

"And _what_ , prey tell, would _that_ be?", Ronald asks.

"The _real_ Fumio Sudo & Kubota have both been _dead in their graves_ for almost two years."

Eyes of bewilderment & stunned reactions were pleasant sights to their captors.

"How do you mean?", Dennis asked.

"Both went mountain climbing over at Mount Fuji until they fell to their deaths, their bodies never recovered. So, we merely 'borrowed' their identities & wear them as our, shall we say, 'uniforms'.", Fumio explains.

"You mean to say that _this_ isn't your natural form?", asked Stephanie, gesturing to them.

"You're quite correct, my dear Stephanie Beatrice", Kubota said. "Where _we_ come from – a planet that was once very much like your Earth – we are a race that are quickly adaptive to practically any environment. But when conditions became too unbearable even for us, we fled our home world in search for another. As we arrived, we'd discovered that humans make the best disguises for our people, enabling us to blend in unnoticed."

"So, what _are_ you underneath your 'disguises', mon ami?", Phillipe wondered.

Fumio & Kubota share a smile with each other before the former spoke.

"We're rather glad you asked. You'll be seeing a _lot_ of us once we take over this planet, so you _should_ deserve a little preview."

"Permit us to reveal the 'hidden truth'. And please…feel free to scream", Kubota says.

Both men undergo a startling metamorphosis before the eyes of Tajima & company, their physical features all but converting into another form entirely. Their eyes widened further as they see the truth behind their revelation.

Hidemi, Patricia, Elinor & Stephanie cry out in shock & disgust before burying their heads in the ones standing next to them.

"Sacre blu!", Phillipe said.

"Blimey!", Gus said.

"Lord Almighty!", Ronald says.

Dennis, Nathan & Tajima just stare wordlessly as what Fumio & Kubota have become, their vocal chords unable to function at the moment.

The ten prisoners were staring at _human-sized cockroaches!_

Both leaders revert back to their borrowed human disguises, each one sharing a laugh.

"Start getting used to the sight every day forth from this moment on", Kubota says.

"A pity your friends from Russia & Norway couldn't be here", Fumio says.

"What have you _done_ with them?!", Nathan demanded.

"We sent men to capture those associated with Elsa in Russia, but received no word from them. We suspect they eluded capture, & are now being interrogated thoroughly & learning about our plans. As for your two friends in Norway, Johannes & Anita…I'm afraid they've been most _un_ cooperative. Therefore, we were forced silence them…forever."

The news was like a punch to the gut for the group, especially for Tajima & Hidemi, as it was them who've first discovered Elsa & her party before releasing them from their icy tomb almost three years ago, giving them new life in the 21st Century.

 _Johannes_ , Tajima thought sadly.

 _Anita_ , Hidemi thought in the same manner.

The scientist fought the urge to rush after Fumio & Kubota & crush the life out of them, if barely.

Both leaders smile, enjoying their helpless predicament.

"Sir!", one man from the console cried out, getting Fumio's attention. "Godzilla has just surfaced in Osaka Bay!"

Sans the armed guards, everyone turned to the screens to see the Monster King making a grand entrance of said area as Godzilla bellowed out a roar that was boisterous even on the monitors.

Fumio & Kubota turned to their prisoners with a smile

"The star attraction has just arrived", the latter said.

"Let us all enjoy the show, shall we?", said Fumio before both leaders turn back to the monitors.

With no other choice currently, Tajima & company watch the screens.

 _APA Villa Hotel, Chuo Ward:_

Once getting the information from Akemi's cell phone, Merida & the others scrambled to get transportation over to Osaka in order to attempt a rescue of Tajima & the rest. With Angus safely at Hiroshi's house, Maximus & Sven are being the main steeds accompanying them to Japan's second largest city with help from Yoshi as they arranged for a military plane to take them to their destination, where they would first lend a hand in evacuating civilians away from the danger areas which Godzilla was most likely to arrive in. Akemi, Emiko, Anna, Rapunzel, Kristoff, Eugene, Merida, Hiroshi, Roku-chan, Maximus, Sven & even Pascal pitched in with getting people out of the city.

When they heard from Maui & Moana as they arrived by submarine, the group were happy to see them & were even _more_ so when they were told that both Alura & Elsa also escaped without injury. As they joined in on helping out with the evacuation, Maui & Moana gave them the rundown of what occurred down in Seatopia, leaving out certain details due to Hiroshi & Roku-chan's involvement & having no inkling of Elsa's true history.

The story was terrifying, relieving & sad as it tugged at the heart strings upon hearing about the demise of Alura's undersea home, with all its people sacrificed to stop a deadly threat to Earth.

After Maui & Moana were finished with _their_ story, Rapunzel gave them one in return, from the kidnapping of Tajima, Hidemi & Elinor to Angus' near-fatal encounter to the phone call Akemi received on the whereabouts of where they've been taken to.

Incidentally, it jibed very much with Maui & Moana's information – even though the info _Akemi_ got it from was by none other than Russian Bratva boss Pyotr Lipovsky, who was seeking refuge in Japan after his disastrous auction bout in Paris over the summer, making him a fugitive worldwide & unable to return to Russia.

Upon this revelation, the group were skeptical on accepting his word considering he caused them harm.

But with the life of Tajima, Hidemi & Elinor at stake, they _had_ to take the chance.

Hearing it from Maui & Moana made that piece of truth easier to accept.

Now, taking temporary refuge in the APA Villa Hotel with several members of the JSDF, the group keep a sharp lookout for Godzilla via Hiroshi's own equipment which includes a mini satellite that is just as effective as any that are in space, binoculars with powerful zoom lenses, & radar/television screens. Merida of course was dressed in her Russian Spetsnaz uniform (a present from Russian colonel Malvina Semenov), her bow & quiver of arrows with various heads that perform different functions.

Going over the plan once more, everyone was in sync of what their job entails.

"The plan is set", said Moana. "Once Godzilla makes his appearance, we'll use that as a distraction to get over to the Crystal Tower & rescue our friends inside."

"And no doubt Patricia & Nathan's in there with them", Rapunzel said. "Eugene & I have tried getting them on the phone, but they never answered."

"Could be the same with Stephanie & Dennis", Eugene adds. "Last we heard, they were still touring with them."

"I'm also willing to bet that _Gus_ & General Ernie are inside that building with them for the same reason", Merida says. "And while _they_ can take care of themselves quite well, they'll _still_ need all the help they can get."

"Which is where _we_ all come in", Maui said, just as the sound of Godzilla's roar echoed throughout the city as he made his grand appearance in Osaka Bay.

"This is it. You all ready?", asked Emiko.

"For _anything!_ ", said Anna as Pascal nodded. "Let's go get the people we love back & make Fumio & his band of killers _pay_ for what they did!"

That's when Hiroshi's radar picked up something else.

"Looks like we've got an incoming bogie fast approaching from the west", the robotics genius said.

The group rushed to the screen to see a giant flying silver & blue robot making its way across the evening sky.

It was a very familiar robot.

"MOGUERA!", they said.

 _How did the crew know to come here to Osaka from Russia?_ , Rokuro wondered.

He didn't have time to ponder on it: the group left the room & went straight to the roof of the hotel, each taking a pair of binoculars to get a better view of the oncoming robot, which was traveling at full speed as it reached the area of Amagasaki before reducing its velocity & heading straight for the Kita Ward. Inside the cockpit were police & Red Army colonels Boris Romanoff & Malvina Semenov, with Russian ambassador Sergei Yeltsin seated behind them. On the night of their interrogation of the survivors from the attack at Malvina's house, the trio soaked up the information like a sponge before getting them sent to jail to deal with at a later time.

On the morning after, the trio suited up & climbed aboard the robot's cockpit, taking off from near Moscow & sailing over the country towards Japan, briefly stopping over at Vladivostok for a quick energy boost for MOGUERA.

The trip over to Osaka was not much of a drain on the robot's energy, & they will be able to perform without a need to reboot it.

Approaching the mainland from Kaigandori in the Minato Ward & destroying the buildings in the area, Godzilla watched as MOGUERA turned upright in its 120-meter height before landing onto the Umedai Garden, flattening many flaura underneath its treaded feet & landing with a thud.

The robot's crew watched Godzilla on their monitors.

"Godzilla knows we're here", Sergei said.

"Da. He's kept a close eye on us since he lost to MOGUERA with those treasonous pilots operating it", Malvina said. "That's why we'll keep a distance from him as much as we can in order to help him realize who the _real_ enemies in this fight are."

"Correct, Malvina", Boris said. "For now, we'll do nothing unless he _does_ decide to come after us in vengeance, or when the _true_ threat shows itself."

Godzilla's eyes never left the robot, remembering what the machine did to him last time he scuffled with it which nearly cost him his life. But his instincts told him that MOGUERA was no threat to him at all; if it _did_ arrive in Japan from Russia, it would've attacked him right away.

But it didn't: the robot ignores Godzilla completely, landing a good distance away.

Letting out a half-roar, Godzilla continued on his trek through the Minato Ward & making his way up to the Nishi Ward, pulverizing whatever structures that impede his path to rubble.

On MOGUERA's onboard communication line, the device buzzed, indicating that a phone call was coming in.

Wondering who would call them at a crucial moment, Boris answered, putting it on loudspeaker for all to hear.

"Hello?"

" _Hello, Boris. It's me, Pyotr. You'll never guess where I am right now_ ", he replied.

His answer shocked the three pilots.

Standing on the helipad of a tall building, Pyotr watched as Godzilla made his way through Osaka as he spoke with Boris on his cell phone.

The police colonel was ecstatic upon hearing the Bratva boss.

" _You're_ there _at this very moment?! You FOOL! Can you not see that Godzilla is now heading directly towards you?!_ "

Pyotr just laughed as he spoke calmly.

"Da, I can see him very clearly. But please don't worry – I am unafraid of what is to occur. But first, Boris, even though it was revealed by Major Derek Synapse, I still need to make my _own_ confession. I lied to you before."

" _About what?_ ", Boris wondered.

"About the theft of Godzilla's blood & tissue samples in the Sea of Japan. Yes, I _did_ orchestrate it all: the boats, the men & their equipment, the mutagen theft from Bagorah's tail sample, even my relationship with Kazimir Volkov. We _were_ still in cahoots but in a discreet way so that your authorities couldn't make a firm connection & interfere with our plans. In return for his services, I would reward him with a small mutagen sample to do with as he pleased. However, even _I_ could never have guessed that he would inject that stuff into his own body & become a rampaging monster."

The cockpit of MOGUERA became quiet for several moments before Malvina spoke.

" _But_ why _, Boris? Why do this at all, endangering the lives of so many with your reckless actions like that?_ "

Pyotr chuckled slightly before he explains.

"If my _methods_ were complicated, my _reasons_ are extremely simple: to avenge the deaths of my parents – both of whom were scientists – who were killed at Chernobyl shortly after the incident when Godzilla attacked the plant & absorbed the radiation emanating from it. Only I & a few others survived that day. Boris, Malvina, I want you both to do something for me: in my office is some very incriminating evidence you will find useful to help stop before the 22nd of this month. Afterwards, tell my wife Natasha & my twin daughters that I love them _very_ much with all my heart, & _not_ to go down the road of the Bratva _or_ seek vengeance no matter what. Please make sure they live their life without having to look over their shoulders. Will you do that? I'm counting on you."

Pyotr ended the call before any of the pilots could answer.

Godzilla was now only one block away, knocking down the few buildings in his path before taking notice of the Bratva boss staring at him on the roof, who does the same without fear. Godzilla lets out an ear-splitting roar before he is hit by recognition of the human staring directly at him: a memory in Pyotr & Godzilla's minds form as they go back to when the Monster King invaded Russia that first time to absorb the radiation that leaked from the Chernobyl Power Plant. Pyotr can see his parents in radiation suits being crushed by debris from above when Godzilla advanced on the plant to have his fill; Godzilla can see young Pyotr fleeing in a helicopter with the only few survivors after having the plant being detonated by the human once he was at a safe distance. The Monster King can also remember young Pyotr laughing maniacally in triumph as he pressed the button while fleeing the monster.

Their minds were somewhat locked at each other until Godzilla blinked, breaking the spell as a low growl filled his throat.

Pyotr simply grinned as big as he could, his arms extended.

" _It's been thirty years since the day, monster!_ ", Pyotr cried out to Godzilla " _This grudge of ours has gone on for much too long, & now it's time for both of us to close the book on it once & for all! How ironic that when we first met, it was in MY country, & now it ends in a land you partially claim as your own! So go ahead, put the lid on this thing for good as only YOU can…GODZILLA!_"

Pyotr began laughing as loud as he could, seconds before Godzilla threw his head back & unleashed another ear-shattering roar. When he finished, the Monster King razed the building's side with his right hand which had caused it to collapse in on itself. Pyotr went down with it, still laughing loudly with a big grin as he fell to his death, meeting the same fate as his parents.

" _PYOTR!_ ", Boris, Malvina & Sergei shouted as they watched the scene unfold on MOGUERA's monitors.

MOGUERA's crew wasn't the only ones to witness the Bratva boss' death: Hiroshi & his group did so on the roof of their hotel, while Fumio, Kubota, their men _and_ their prisoners viewed the display in the main control room of the Crystal Tower. Nobody said anything for several moments as the scenario in their minds was like a mute button.

"What _was_ Godzilla to him anyway, Uncle Hiroshi?", Rokuro asked.

The robotics genius just shook his head, unable to answer.

For Fumio & his people, it was an insignificant matter.

"Stupid fool!", Kubota simply said in Japanese.

Fumio simply chuckled before facing his prisoners.

"The utter stupidity of humans never ceases to amaze me", he said in English, amusingly.

General Ernie & the rest just glowered menacingly at him. It seldomly bothered the alien leader.

"But now that the preliminaries are done…", Fumio started, turning back to the screens. "It's time for the main event to commence. Gentlemen, it's time to let our two other pets off their leash."

The men at the console grin big upon hearing the order.

"Yes sir!", they said, getting to work.

Philippe & the others didn't like the way that sounded, & they're going to get a front-row seat of the action.

Whether they like it or not.

 _APA Villa Hotel, street level:_

Like the members of the JSDF, Hiroshi & company hurriedly gathered their gear & made it to street level once Godzilla was on the move again. The sounds of the monster's roar & buildings going down in smoking heaps got louder with each thunderous step. Eugene & Rapunzel got onto Maximus, with Kristoff & Anna getting on Sven. The others went into the SUV Hiroshi borrowed from the JSDF as he took the wheel & drove off towards the Crystal Tower, with both steeds following close behind. Each one said a prayer in their minds to the ones they love held inside.

 _Just hold tight, Mum! We're on our way for you, Gus & the rest!_, Merida thought.

Soon as they passed Uemachi-suji street, a bright/gigantic ball of fire engulfed Osaka Castle & burned the iconic landmark to ashes, along with the surrounding area from the castle to Hokoku Shrine. Hiroshi slammed on the brakes as Maximus & Sven also halted abruptly, startled by the fireball which came out of nowhere. Tajima, Hiroshi & Boris' groups all gasp & stared wide-eyes at the twin monstrosities that emerged from the fireball once it dissipated: the first was a 60-meter tall Tyrannosaurus with flaming red flesh, a thick black stripe down its back, along the sides & rings on its tail. The second dinosaurian creature was twice as tall, reaching a staggering 120 meters in height. It was truly like a nightmare come true: half of its muscle tone was exposed among its arms, legs, neck, main body & the first half of its tail. All the rest of it was exposed bone, including its wing frames that sported three points. Its head was half dinosaur, half bull & all bone, with the rear protruding three pairs of horns as one pair was 2-3 times longer than the rest. No eyes were visible, being only empty black holes where they should be. Its tail ended in a sharp point with two extra blades on the sides, & sharp claws adorned its toes, fingers, knees & elbows.

Its skeletal wings spread 140 meters from one end to the other.

The crimson Tyrannosaurus let out a roar that sounded like a sick animal, & fire spouted from its nostrils.

The half-skeletal creature unleashed a deep guttural roar that was in par with Godzilla's own.

Godzilla responded in kind, the noise echoing everywhere in Osaka.

Smiling proudly from the scene, Fumio & Kubota turn to their prisoners.

"Incredible creatures, aren't they?", Kubota says, gesturing to the screen as he introduced each one. "The crimson-skinned Tyrannosaurus is called Diablo, which is Spanish for 'the devil'. The half-skeletal monster standing next to it, we call Necrosan. Although we mourn the loss of our other monster Slashfang, we're sure you'll find that these two are vast improvements over the Smilodon creature."

Elinor & the rest say nothing to Fumio's second-in-command.

Both leaders smile before facing the screens again.

"The time for conquest has finally come!", Fumio says. "For many years, we've tried conquering the Earth, only to meet with defeat every time! No more: today, we shall claim what will be rightfully ours! Diablo, Necrosan… _go!_ "

Said monsters bellow a roar as Godzilla did so himself before shooting forth his heat ray at Necrosan, hitting him square in the chest. Incredibly, the beam does nothing but smoke a little before the creature hopped over the West Outer Moat & crashed into the Osaka Museum of History & NHK Osaka Hall, demolishing both buildings into debris that spilled onto the streets. Godzilla ran forth & collided into the half-skeletal monster, smashing buildings along the way.

Diablo also leaped over the water to join in the battle & offer his assistance to Necrosan, but was struck onto the side by a pair of spiral grenade missiles that exploded against his crimson flesh. While they didn't penetrate it, they _did_ get his attention as Diablo saw MOGUERA floating over the O River.

" _That_ definitely got its attention!", Sergei said.

"Yes it did, Sergei!", said Malvina. "Now, let's _keep_ its focus on _us_ while Godzilla takes care of the other one & give him a fighting chance!"

"Sounds good, Malvina!", Boris said. "Let's go with a maser attack this time!"

Nodding, Malvina pressed a button that opened MOGUERA's chest port to extend its maser cannon before Boris activated it along with its eye masers. Both attacks struck Diablo dead-on as the red Tyrannosaurus was peppered with maser beams for several moments, causing the dinosaur to cry out by a fire hitting him that wasn't his own.

Finally, Diablo could take no more, & the Tyrannosaurus vanished in a sudden blaze of fire that engulfed him.

He was nowhere to be found!

"Where did it go?!", Sergei wondered.

Neither Malvina nor Boris had an answer.

One was provided for them when Diablo suddenly reappeared in mid-air & grabbed MOGUERA's left arm & bit down on it, jarring the robot & its crew.

"Quick…set us down before we crash!", Boris cried out.

Working frantically at the controls, the crew set MOGUERA down on the mini island in the O River, landing on the parking lot between the N4. Tower & the Kansai Electric Power Headquarters. The hard landing forced Diablo to release his grip on the robot as MOGUERA gave the dinosaur a swat with its right cone arm that sent it flying over to both the Protestant Church & N4. Tower, flattening each structure to their foundations.

"Malvina, Boris…let's sedate this dinosaur while it's down!", Sergei suggested.

"Excellent idea, Sergei!", Malvina said. "Boris…"

"Already opening the cones, Malvina!", Boris announced.

Just as he promised, both of MOGUERA's cones opened up to reveal large syringes in each as the robot moved forward on its treads, ready to stick the crimson Tyrannosaurus as it had trouble getting up. MOGUERA was only ten meters from its target when Diablo opened his maw & shot forth a gigantic gout of yellow flames that engulfed the big robot, catching the crew off-guard. The heat was so intense that it melted both syringes.

"Back away… _now!_ ", Sergei cried out.

Reversing on its treads, MOGUERA puts a sizable distance between it & Diablo, who was now back on his feet.

MOGUERA closed its cones, & its metal frame smoked from the fire's intensity.

"Let's be more careful, boys!", Malvina warns. "We may be twice his size, but this dinosaur packs quite a _punch!_ "

"And with the syringes melted away, we can't put him under!", Boris adds. "We'll have to go for distant attacks when we can, & use close-quarter combat only when necessary!"

"Then let's _prepare_ for it, Boris!", Sergei said. "From the looks of it our fiery opponent means to _charge_ us!"

Sergei spoke true: Diablo strolled across the pavement like a tiger in its cage, waiting for an opening to pounce like one. Sergei, Boris & Malvina keep a sharp eye on the Tyrannosaurus, never letting it out of their sight.

And then it happened: Diablo leaped at the robot like an overgrown kangaroo, & Malvina gave the order to do a full 180 degree twist of its upper half. MOGUERA does so, rotating its upper half so that the rear faced Diablo as he's struck the back of the robot – right into the blades embedded there. Boris pressed the button that made the blades start to spin, cutting into Diablo's flesh & drawing blood. The crimson Tyrannosaurus bellowed in pain as sharp blades cut his skin deep before disappearing again in a flash of fire & reappearing in front of the hotel behind the Osaka Municipal Ogimachi high school site.

Still injured from the blades, Diablo was a bit sluggish, giving MOGUERA a chance to counteract.

"Spiral grenade missiles… _fire!_ ", Malvina ordered.

Opening its cones, MOGUERA shot forth a pair of said weapons directly at Diablo, which strike him dead-on. The blast was so powerful that it knocked the dinosaur into the hotel, leveling it to the ground. MOGUERA followed it up with a volley of maser blasts for a full minute before letting up.

"That _couldn't_ have killed it, but we've done quite a lot of damage to the thing!", said Boris.

"Let's remain on our guard, Boris!", Malvina said. "All we may have done is injure it, & it'll be _more_ dangerous than ever!"

"All the more reason to approach with utmost caution, Malvina!", Sergei said.

Nodding, thee crew gets MOGUERA rolling on its treads towards the downed Tyrannosaurus, its maser cannons ready to open up in case it might be playing possum. What they can see is Diablo lying on its side, buried in a blanket of rubble as he lays unmoving.

The robot gets to 24 meters from the beast, not wanting to be caught by surprise like last time.

For 30 seconds, there was no sign of movement from Diablo.

Nobody was taking any chances.

"Let's give it a missile while it's down", Boris suggests.

Malvina nodded, aiming & opening up the left cone at Diablo, ready to launch the projectile within.

"Spiral grenade missile…", she started to say.

Before Malvina could give the order, Diablo rose from his bed of rubble & shot forth a gout of flame out of his mouth, striking the exposed missile & detonating it before it could launch. The explosion blew the cone apart, leaving only a stump of a left arm. Sergei, Boris & Malvina were rocked violently by the unexpected maneuver & they felt their bones rattle even with their seat belts on.

"What just _happened?!_ ", Sergei cried.

"We just lost most of the left arm!", Boris said. "It's useless now!"

"Get us airborne before it can…", Malvina began.

Too late: Diablo threw himself at MOGUERA & began ravaging on the robot like a wild animal.

With a lost arm, the crew was in big trouble.

 _Godzilla vs. Necrosan:_

A good portion of Osaka's Chuo Ward was being laid to waste as Godzilla battled the half-skeletal nightmare that is Necrosan, battling him across the area as many buildings were paying the price in their duel. Godzilla unleashed another blast of his heat ray at Necrosan, which hardly did anything to slow him down. Letting out a roar of annoyance more than pain, Necrosan raked Godzilla's face which caused the Monster King's vision to be briefly impaired. It was all Necroosan needed: like a striking cobra, the half-skeletal beast's tail whipped up & struck Godzilla in his chest that made a deep puncture. Godzilla roared in pain as his flesh was penetrated by his enemy's tail point, as ichor/blood gets sprayed before Godzilla grabbed the appendage & pulled it out. He then fired his heat ray again, hitting it spot-on.

But like before, it hardly did any damage to it aside from having it smoke from the heat.

Counteracting with his wing frames, Necrosan drove the points into Godzilla's sides before sending electrical voltage into him that caused the Monster King to cry in anguish, his bellow being heard for miles. His muscles locked up as powerful electricity coursed through his body from head to toe, becoming hard for him to concentrate. Acting on pure instinct, Godzilla took hold of Necrosan's wings, ignoring the searing pain that threatens to consume him. He then pulls them out but Necrosan pulled them out of his grip before he could hit them with his primary weapon. Too dazed to strike back, Godzilla was struck by a powerful crimson beam of energy that shot forth from Necrosan's mouth with such force that Godzilla gets dragged across many blocks eastwards, destroying buildings that stood in his way.

He finally stops at Naniwanomiyaato Park, creating a deep crevice in the ground.

Necrosan was already advancing on the downed Monster King, pulverizing whatever buildings he came across.

Reaching where Godzilla is, the half-skeletal creature kept his foe on the ground with his red beam, followed by constant deep stabbings/cuts by his tail & wing tips, giving him the occasional electrical shocks.

Godzilla was in real trouble, & everyone watching the battle – be it from inside the Crystal Tower or outside the building – knew it.

Merida & her friends were viewing it from the parking lot next to the Matsushita IMP Hall, their hearts sinking.

Same as with Stephanie & her friends inside the tower.

Fumio, Kubota & their men were _enjoying_ the scenario immensely.

"Necrosan is performing even better than we had ever hoped for!", Fumio said.

"Same as with Diablo!", Kubota says, viewing his fight with MOGUERA. "He's only half the size of the Russian robot, yet he has it on the ropes!"

Watching the live footage of the red Tyrannosaurus giving MOGUERA a beating with Necrosan doing the same to Godzilla gave the groups a feeling of helplessness: Fumio & his people have created monsters that could possibly do what so many enemy monsters couldn't in the past; not even King Ghidorah was this troublesome.

Unless something gets done soon, both MOGUERA & its crew will meet a grisly demise, with Godzilla faring no better.

 _If Big G's going to live through_ this _mess, he'll need a bloody miracle!_ , Gus thought.

Without aiming, Godzilla shot his heat ray at random, hoping he hits a target as he shot blindly.

Luckily, it _did_ hit somewhere & in a place he'd hoped to strike at: Necrosan was struck in the face by the intense heat that caused the monster to back away, his vision blinded temporarily as he wailed out in pain. Godzilla fought to get back on his feet, albeit sluggishly due to the punishment he took. Holding himself steady, the Monster King reared back his head & unleashed a powerful earth shattering roar that all of Osaka heard, which he let loose for ten seconds before relenting.

"Whoa!", Eugene said, removing his hands from his ears as the rest did. " _That_ was one of the _loudest_ bellows the big guy has _ever_ unleashed!"

"Yeah, I wonder what he did _that_ for!", Kristoff said. "It _couldn't_ mean that he's throwing in the towel!"

"I highly _doubt_ it, Kristoff!", Maui said. "Godzilla _isn't_ one to _quit_ easily!"

"Hardly!", Moana said. "He could be rallying up his strength for a second wind…"

The sounds of monstrous cries/chirps caught everyone's attention as everyone turned to see the arrival of Mothra, Rodan, Anguirus, Gaira & Sanda on the far end of Osaka, making their way down the path of destruction that Godzilla made.

"Or maybe he was _calling for help!_ ", Merida & her friends say in unison.

A real monster melee was about to go underway!

 _Hong Kong Island, Wan Chai District:_

Pulgasari & King Seesar fought like animals in the Wan Chai area of the city, bringing buildings down just like houses of cards & spilling debris onto the streets as people ran for their lives to escape the two rampaging giants which have turned their beloved city into a horrid battleground. The North Korean monster raked at his Okinawan enemy like a rabid dog, & even attempted to bite him a few times on the arms, shoulders & even neck. King Seesar fought back by using his ferocity & martial arts skills, doing a series of flying kicks, judo chops & even body flips on Pulgasari as the North Korean monster uses his brute strength to overcome whatever injuries are inflicted upon his body. Because of his armor plating, Pulgasari can take punishment as well as dish it out.

The battle raged on for nearly an hour with no clear winner.

Even with the help of Chinese Shenyang J-11 fighter jets & Harbin Z-19 attack choppers, neither monster could be brought down despite the numerous missile & gunfire attacks each aircraft dumped onto them. Explosions peppered their bodies but didn't begin to slow them down, with Pulgasari swatting at & bringing down several whirlybirds & jets that got too close.

All the ones Pulgasari struck went up in a fiery holocaust, leaving no time for men to deploy parachutes.

His attention on the aircraft gave King Seesar an opening to deliver a tackling assault that sent both monsters into the Central Plaza Building which brought it down in a shower of concrete, steel & glass onto the two dueling monsters even as more missiles rained down on them.

King Seesar was literally thrown out of the pile of debris as Pulgasari used his feet to shove him off, sending the Okinawan creature into the Immigration Tower, leveling it to the ground. Pulgasari then rose up & body-slammed his rival into the building behind it – the District Court – and its companion next to it, sending them both to a destructive end as rubble scattered all over the streets, burying vehicles & crushing them under tons of debris.

Next building to fall was the Grand Hyatt, which was knocked over like a timbering tree & crashed itself into the Convention Plaza Office Tower, which spilled onto Fleming Road in a landslide of debris. People trapped inside of the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre started running outside once they were able to get out to escape the terror that is tearing their city apart.

But Pulgasari saw the humans fleeing the Centre, & he was working up quite an appetite.

Reaching out for the people getting away, he was restrained by King Seesar, who held him at bay to give all the people time to run for safety. Pulgasari fought fiercely to advance, but King Seesar behaved as a living wall to halt the North Korean monster's progress until the humans can flee; as long as King Seesar was present, the North Korean beast will _not_ feed.

No matter how hard he fought, Pulgasari could not get past King Seesar, much less get him out of the way.

The two monsters stared in pure hatred of each other as their deadly power struggle continued.

The pilots of the jets & choppers saw the display, the meaning of the gesture crystal clear.

 _King Seesar is actually giving those people a chance to escape!_ , the chopper pilot thought, who happened to be the leader of the whirlybird squadron & was lucky enough to be spared.

"How's it going with those special rockets?", he asked into his headset.

" _They're being loaded even as we speak, sir!_ ", the radio announced. " _It's an operation that can't be hurried, but they will be arriving in about 10-15 minutes!_ "

"Understood. Do what you can to get those jets loaded & in the air, & remember – your target is Pulgasari, _not_ King Seesar!"

" _Copy that, sir!_ "

The transmission ended as King Seesar continued acting as a shield to keep Pulgasari from snacking on those that run in fear.

 _Just hold tight, King Seesar – help is on its way!_ , the chopper leader thought.

Over the radio, he gave his pilots the order to lay down cover fire for King Seesar, explicitly ordering to attack Pulgasari only once the people were all safely away.

The Convention & Exhibition Centre was devoid of life in 6-8 minutes, with all of the people far away from the danger.

Enraged at having his meal denied, Pulgasari grabbed King Seesar's right arm & gave the beast a body flip which sent him flying through the air & landing on Hennessy Road, demolishing the buildings along the way. Bellowing in a fit of rage, Pulgasari charged at King Seesar & tackled him head-on, their momentum taking both monsters over to the buildings along Amoy Street past Johnston Road, destroying each as they ended up crashing into the cylinder-shaped Hopewell Centre building.

Like the others, this was brought down in a heap of concrete, steel & glass.

Nothing stopped their charge, even when Pulgasari was buffeted with missiles & gunfire, each shot/round doing no harm or damaging anything vital to the monster.

Placing his hands around King Seesar's neck, Pulgasari used all his strength to crush the life out of the Okinawan monster as King Seesar retaliated with doing the same. Like irritated feuding bears, Pulgasari & King Seesar rampaged throughout the city, bringing down countless buildings & decorating the streets what remained of them. All the way up to Gloucester Road, anything that resembled a building/skyscraper became a casualty to the feuding monsters.

Their violent scuffle took them up to the HKAPA Lyric Theatre on Fenwick/Fenwick Pier Street as it gets crushed underneath the tremendous weight of the monsters. Grabbing his large horns, King Seesar does his own body flip with Pulgasari as he sends the bull-like monster over to the curve on Lung Wo Road. The impact of Pulgasari's landing had caused a crater ten meters deep, crushing the concrete & flattening the dirt beneath. King Seesar went over & placed a foot on Pulgasari's neck, holding him in place & cutting off his air flow. The bull-like creature grabbed his ankle before twisting it that forced the Okinawan beast to trip & lose his balance. Getting up, Pulgasari swung his foe into the Citic Tower, causing it to collapse onto him. As King Seesar got up, Pulgasari wrapped his right arm around his throat as he cuts off _his_ air flow, unable to breathe. King Seesar fought to get free, but couldn't no matter how fiercely he tried.

Pulgasari was determined to kill his enemy by suffocation/lack of oxygen.

After a few minutes, King Seesar's arms began going slack.

From behind, Pulgasari was struck by missiles that didn't penetrate his armored flesh but _did_ cover his back with thick sheets of ice. Rising up & releasing his enemy, he saw a plethora of jets streaking towards him.

Once he turned to face them, Pulgasari was hit by more freeze missiles that began covering his body with ice that restricted/slowed his movements. With each pass another payload of missiles targeted & hit the North Korean beast as he slowly but surely turned into a living ice statue, his arms & legs becoming stiff. Several more strikes on Pulgasari covered the monster from head to toe as he stood still, his frozen body glittering in the evening.

Having recovered from his foe's choke hold, King Seesar got up to see Pulgasari as an ice statue, his body covered completely. Circling around the immobile form of his enemy, King Seesar watched for any sudden movements the beast might make: if he was somehow faking his demise or attempts to break free, he'd be prepared to commence with their fight until either or both drop.

For two minutes, there was nothing out of the ordinary.

And then the sound of ice cracking was heard, followed by cracks forming within the ice all over Pulgasari: with a jerk of his limbs, the bull-like beast shattered his icy prison as shards flew everywhere, hitting buildings & vehicles where they landed. He let out a roar of triumph & disapproval of being put on ice.

When he turned to King Seesar to finish what was started, his eyes went wide: before the North Korean beast can so much as blink, King Seesar came at his foe & swiped at his head with his right hand, shearing it off his shoulders in one blow. The severed head of Pulgasari flew over to the Culture Plaza, landing dead center as its left horn chipped away & fell off: as it flew through the air, the head turned to white stone & got stuck in the ground.

The remainder of the head also chipped away & fell in stone pieces as if made of plaster.

King Seesar watched as the remainder of Pulgasari's body began transforming to white stone from the neck stump where the head used to be, right down to its toes. Raising his hands, King Seesar swiped at the headless stone statue of Pulgasari, shattering it everywhere as pieces went in all directions.

Placing a foot onto the pile of broken pieces, King Seesar unleashed a boisterous roar of triumph over an enemy he defeated only once before centuries ago & has done so again.

And _this_ time, he _won't_ be returning!

The sound of churning water in Victoria Harbour caught King Seesar's attention as a trio of monsters popped up from each one to reveal Gezora, Ganime & Kameba. Each creature sensed a danger they felt needed to be dealt with & have tracked it to Hong Kong Island once they were freed from Seatopia & tore apart Tamatoa to shreds.

It looked as if their assistance wasn't required after all, but King Seesar felt a pang of rage build up inside of him as he remembered fighting Gezora & ripping him to shreds almost two years ago. Getting to the shores, King Seesar was ready for another fight but Gezora squeaked in rapid succession to explain to the Okinawan creature that what _he_ fought long ago _wasn't_ really him, but another just like him.

Ganime & Kameba also screeched together to corroborate their comrade's story, saying they were also being held against their will for a number of years.

The leader of the chopper squad & what remained of his crew viewed the transaction below, keeping their distance as events unfold.

"Sir, what do we do?", his co-pilot asked with worry. "If they all start to attack the city, we wouldn't be able to _begin_ to defeat them!"

"I wouldn't worry too much", he simply said. "For as long as people of this region can remember, King Seesar has been a fierce/loyal protector. If these new monsters start more trouble, we'll help him in bringing them down."

He faced his co-pilot & simply told him to trust him.

Skeptical but obedient, the co-pilot told the others to stand down, which they did.

King Seesar patiently listened to the story Gezora, Ganime & Kameba relayed to him.

Weighing his options, the Okinawan beast made his choice.

 **CHAPTER X**

 _Osaka, Japan:_

It was almost like a miracle from right out of a fairy tale: just when things looked grim for the white hats, a last-minute save arrived on Osaka's shores & airspace as Anguirus, Gaira, Sanda, Mothra & Rodan came at the most crucial moment to offer their assistance to Godzilla. The same went for the crew of MOGUERA: a plethora of missiles struck Diablo, who was pounding on the Russian robot in blasts that knocked him off as the Tyrannosaurus roared in surprise & pain. What launched those projectiles was yet _another_ happy sight: a large silver machine 100 meters tall in the shape of Godzilla himself, complete with gray shoulder harness (in which the missiles fired out of), double-barreled cannons placed on its forearms, & jet boosters on its legs & main body.

Mechagodzilla has finally arrived, & it was the happiest sight for Rapunzel & her friends.

" _Elsa!_ ", they cried with joy.

 _Great timing, sis!_ , Anna thought happily.

MG's timely arrival was also a happy sign for General Ernie & his friends inside the tower.

 _Glad you & Yoshi could join the party, Elsa!_, he thought with a grin.

"So…Godzilla's allies have come to lend their assist, have they?", Fumio says.

"Not only that, _Elsa's_ managed to survive that explosion in Seatopia & get inside Mechagodzilla again!", Kubota said. "Plus, we have her sister & their _friends_ outside the building, no doubt attempting to rescue _these_ people!"

"They're in for a disappointment!", Fumio said, turning to one of his men at the console. "You there: head down & take a squadron of men with you! Elsa's friends are _not_ to enter the building, let alone leave this area alive!"

"Understood, sir!", he said, rising from his seat & exiting the room to fulfil his duties.

"The other monsters' appearance won't matter much! Diablo & Necrosan are _more_ than a match for them, _and_ we have yet _another_ surprise in store! Prepare to deploy on my order!"

"Yes sir!", Kubota said.

Philippe & the others were sick to their stomachs upon hearing Fumio's order to execute Merida & the rest.

With the arrival of Mechagodzilla & the real thing's monster allies, it was time to act on _their_ part.

Luckily, Gus had a trick or two up his sleeve as he eyes the French agent, who nodded.

The British agent worked on his wrists, making one of their guards suspicious.

"Hey there! What do you think you're _doing?!_ ", he barked.

"Who me? Just fixing my cufflinks, mate", Gus said casually as he does just that.

Fumio & Kubota heard the small conversation, having remembered the men searched every pocket for any hidden weapons/gadgets their prisoners might use to attempt an escape.

One thing they _didn't_ check was the smaller things that were in plain sight, & it put them on alert.

" _Fool!_ _Stop_ him before he…!", Kubota started saying.

His order came too late: in a heartbeat, Gus broke off one cufflink & threw it on the floor.

" _Shut your eyes!_ ", Gus cried out to his friends, which they did.

Fumio & Kubota's men, however, did not: a bright white flash erupted in the room, hitting their eyes & blinding them as they cried out in pain. Three seconds later, most of the men in the room were covering their eyes with hands or arms, whimpering from the pain. Immediately Gus, Philippe & General Ernie were swinging fists & feet left & right as alien men fell down like living dominoes from powerful blows that knocked them colder than wet mackerels.

Dennis, Stephanie & the rest watched in astonishment as the three men mopped the floor with each of their one-time captors; even though Elinor saw her husband's display many times before, it still never ceased to amaze her.

 _If only King Fergus were here now to see Gus in action!_ , she thought with a grin, imagining how well they'd get along were her original hubby here in the 21st Century.

Only Fumio & Kubota were spared a blinding, having heeded Gus' advice & shielded their own eyes.

Taking guns of their own, the two leaders aimed at their prisoners.

" _Down!_ ", Nathan shouted as the group saw weapons aimed & dropped to the floor a split-second before bullets started flying, missing their mark by inches. Philippe, Gus & General Ernie grabbed a gun from their fallen enemies & returned fire, nearly hitting Fumio & Kubota who managed to dive for cover in time.

"Come on, folks…let's go!", Dennis cried, getting a gun himself & opening the door as everyone spilled out of the main control room seconds before Fumio & Kubota opened fire again, hitting only the walls & closing door.

Kubota started pursuit but his boss stopped him with a gesture.

"Don't worry, Kubota…they won't get far!", Fumio says, facing the monitors to see his men coming right out of the entrance & engaging Merida & her friends as they attempted to storm the place. "It's quite a ways for them down on the street, & now that _their_ friends are preoccupied, we can seal this building up…"

"Trapping both parties in _and_ out!", Kubota says as Fumio nodded before pressing a button.

"It will soon be their resting place!"

Both men share a maniacal laugh.

 _Streel level:_

The sight of seeing Mechagodzilla was a real confidence booster for Anna & the group above all else.

"Come on, folks!", Kristoff says. "Elsa's got _her_ job & we have ours!"

"Right! Let's go get our friends back!", Eugene said before they rush in towards the front entrance of the Crystal Tower, with Maximus & Sven bringing up the rear. A plethora of Fumio's men – 28 in all – storm out of the building, each ne holding guns as they fire upon the approaching armada. Bullets start flying as Anna, Rapunzel & the rest halt in their tracks & take shelter within the grove of trees along the perimeter. Pieces of bark get chipped off by each shot as Maximus & Sven take cover behind a parked bus large enough to shield both.

Using the bullet barrage as cover, the men advance towards the group.

"They'll pick us off one by one at this rate!", Maui says.

"We need to even the odds in _our_ favor rather than theirs!", Moana said.

"Leave that to _me_ , Moana!", Merida says before diving from her cover & taking out an arrow from her quiver as she pulled back on the string to let it fly. She shot it on the concrete just a few feet away from them, the arrow having a small device attached to it & emitting a beeping noise. In seconds, the beep became a steady whine before exploding as a bright flash which stung their eyes, crying out & shielding them.

" _Now!_ ", Merida shouted as she, Rapunzel, Anna & the rest charged Fumio's men & struck them hard with their frying pans, acrobatic moves & sheer brute strength. Even Maximus & Sven got in on the action as they kicked, stomped & trampled their foes underneath their heels. Guns or not, the men were getting their rear ends handed to them by these individuals from another time, & Maui & Moana – present-day descendants of the originals – weren't shabby either.

Even without Maui using his lightning attack, he & his partner were doing exceptionally well against Fumio's men.

Only Hiroshi, Roku-chan, Akemi & Emiko had refrained from joining in, as the tech expert & Tajima's daughters were more focused on keeping his young nephew safe. The four watched as their gaijin friends/family members beaten down armed killers with no more than household appliances & their own natural-born skills.

The brawl lasted just under a minute as all enemies were incapacitated & lying on the concrete, unconscious.

"Akemi, Emiko…where did you & your family _find_ these people?!", Roku-chan asked in his tongue.

Both siblings giggled before answering in unison.

"You wouldn't believe us if we told you!"

Hiroshi smiled just before the sound of metal grates began closing the front entrance of the building, which was also noticed by the others. Knowing it was to seal Tajima & the others in & the rest out, Merida ran at full speed as her friends called her name. The Scottish redhead ignored their pleas & ran for the front door, with the metal grates halfway down. Acting fast, Merida shot an arrow at the glass, shattering it before diving inside just as it slammed shut.

Merida barely made it inside intact.

Rapunzel & the others rushed to the entrance, which was now completely sealed off from the outside.

Crying out her name & banging on the metal, they asked if she was all right.

"Yeah, I'm good, you guys!", Merida cried out. "Listen: I'll find Tajima & the others & help them get out of this place! You guys keep an eye out for any more of Fumio's men! Wish me luck!"

Arming herself with an arrow, Merida took off before anyone could respond.

Her friends do so in silent prayer seconds before more of Fumio's people appear from around the corner, having made it out before the grates sealed off the building.

Maximus & Sven charged this new batch, with Moana & company following close behind.

Their battle began anew!

 _At O River next to Dojimahama:_

Once Diablo was hit by the missile barrage, the dinosaur was knocked off MOGUERA as Mechagodzilla landed next to the damaged robot. Yoshi ordered his co-pilot – Amanda, who was in her early 30s – to help up MOGUERA as it laid slanted against the RIHGA Royal Hotel Osaka. Grabbing the robot by its remaining arm, MG helped get it back on its treads & in an upright position.

Sergei got on the radio & communicated with Mechagodzilla.

"Elsa! Elsa, is that _you_ in there?", he asked.

" _Sergei? Are_ you _inside MOGUERA?_ ", she replied as the Russian ambassador smiled.

"Da! I am one of the pilots, along with Malvina & Boris!"

"Hello, Elsa!", the Red Army & police colonel respond, smiling.

The Snow Queen & Olaf – in his specially-designed suit – smile themselves.

"Sergei, Malvina, Boris…this is Commander Yoshi Shimazaki of the JSDF!", he says. "It seems we got to you just in time, as that dinosaur really did a number on your machine!"

"Da, comrade Yoshi!", Boris says. "Our left arm is gone, & several systems are currently out of order! We can fix it to resume the battle, but we'll need you to keep that Tyrannosaurus off our back while we make repairs!"

"Be on your guard, Yoshi!", Malvina warns. "It may be smaller than us, but that dinosaur is _fierce!_ Use extreme caution!"

"You got it, Boris, Malvina!", Yoshi said, cutting off the feed. "Amanda, let's give this thing a quick maser blast before we keep it dazed long enough for…"

" _Watch out, Yoshi!_ ", Elsa & Olaf shout.

As Yoshi was relaying his plan to Amanda, Diablo was up & about before unleashing a fiery blast from his maw which covered Mechagodzilla's front. The robot retaliated by firing its maser beams from its own mouth & both wrist mounds, striking Diablo full force & letting out a roar of pain. MG followed it up with another missile barrage at the red Tyrannosaurus, who disappeared in a fiery flash seconds before they all exploded where he was, hitting nothing but concrete. Diablo reappeared at the intersection of the Tozai Line & Naniwa-suji streets, roaring in challenge.

"Looks like he wants us to fight fire _with_ fire, you guys!", Olaf said. "Or in _this_ case…fire with _ice!_ "

"We're _more_ than happy to _oblige_ with that, Olaf!", Elsa said.

"That we are, Elsa!", Yoshi said. "Let's put him on ice & cool his jets…literally!"

"Mechagodzilla…up!", Amanda says.

MG took to the air on its jets & hovered over the river, opening its chest ports as the center began glowing blue as Elsa poured her power into the machine's Absolute Zero Cannon. For her, being inside Godzilla's robot double was a welcome position as she & MG became one once again after nearly a year since their fight with Mecha-King Ghidorah & Gigan in Los Angeles.

For Elsa, it felt good to have this experience again.

But more so, it felt _right_.

Diablo watched as MG flew in close, its chest pulsating with power. The Tyrannosaurus reared his head back & lurched it forward before belching another huge gout of flames from his mouth.

Mechagodzilla was 15 meters away when Yoshi gave the order.

"Elsa… _now!_ ", he cried.

From MG's chest, a stream of ice shot forth at Diablo, freezing his flames before striking the creature himself.

It was a direct hit & would've succeeded fully, were it not for one thing.

Diablo was nowhere to be found: after the frozen flames hit the streets & shattered, the MG crew saw no trace of the T-Rex anywhere. All that Elsa's shot _did_ strike was the streets & a few buildings, all of which were evacuated.

"Where'd it _go?_ ", Olaf wondered.

His answer cane when Diablo reemerged in a fireball & landed upon Mechagodzilla's right side, jarring the crew from this unexpected move.

"Quick…close the chest ports!", Yoshi ordered as Amanda was quick to respond.

MG's chest closed in seconds as Diablo unleashed another belch of fire from his mouth, scorching said area.

Thinking fast, Amanda pressed a button that launched a slew of missiles from the right shoulder harness, striking Diablo at point-blank range & creating a blast that knocked him off MG's side but also destroyed the harness itself.

It was a small sacrifice to make, but her ploy worked: Diablo was knocked off & crashed into a cluster of small buildings & houses, flattening them.

"Amanda, reopen the ports!", Yoshi said. "Elsa, let's freeze this thing before it can get up again!"

"We can't, Yoshi!", Amanda replied. "That dinosaur _fused_ the ports together with its heat! We can't get them to open up!"

"But we _still_ have the left arm, Yoshi!", Elsa said.

"Got it, Elsa!", Yoshi said, pressing a button that opened a port on MG's left palm. "Done! Let him have it!"

Without a word, Elsa gave her power into MG's left arm as ice shot forth from its palm & aimed at Diablo, who was still lying on his side. Once more, he avoids an icy death by vanishing in a haze of fire before reappearing over at the Hanshin Railway Main Line, demolishing a building next to it.

Diablo bellowed in rage, having suffered greatly from Godzilla's robot double.

"No good, Yoshi: this thing just keeps evading an icy death at the last second!", Elsa said.

"We'll have to go for a more…physical approach to it!", Amanda adds.

"Not a problem, Amanda!", Yoshi said, pressing a button.

MG's right hand morphs itself into a pointed drill as the cannon turns 180 degrees to allow it room for a strike, spinning once the transformation is done.

"Time to get a little _drilling_ work done, Yoshi…and I _don't_ mean the _dentist's office!_ ", Olaf says.

The crew grinned at Olaf's little joke.

"Let's send it home, Olaf!", Yoshi said as Mechagodzilla charged Diablo on foot.

The crimson Tyrannosaurus does indifferent, roaring as he charges.

 _The Chuo Ward:_

Necrosan was in big trouble: with Mothra, Rodan, Anguirus, Gaira & Sanda joining Godzilla, he was the target for an unrelenting barrage of uranium, atomic & antennae beams striking him everywhere. Add to that physical attacks by Anguirus' spikes, along with Gaira & Sanda's savage beatings from their fists & feet, & the half-skeletal nightmare was hit at each angle with no idea where to strike first. No matter where he shot his red beam, the monsters avoided the weapon, be it from the air _or_ on the ground. Even his wing attacks were unsuccessful, missing their quarries each time.

Mothra & Rodan shoot forth another stream of uranium heat & antennae beams at Necrosan, hitting him along the side long enough for Anguirus to curl up & slam himself into Necrosan's head, causing the monster to cry out as his vision was seeing stars & Godzilla went to grab him by the tail, lift him over his head & slam him repeatedly onto the ground, shaking it with each impact. He gives Necrosan a good dozen slams before releasing him.

Gaira & Sanda went up to the fallen creature & picked him up at the same time before throwing Necrosan over at the Osaka-Jo Hall, flattening it as debris sprayed everywhere.

Eugene, Rapunzel & the rest defeated the second round of Fumio's men just as Necrosan crashed into said dome & shook the earth that nearly made them lose their balance.

Fumio & Kubota watch on the monitors as Godzilla & the other monsters ascend upon their creation.

"I must admit this looks bad, Chairman!", Kubota said.

"Yes, but we can _still_ turn this around to our favor!", Fumio said. "Let's wait till they all gather around Necrosan! Then we'll hit them with our secret weapons! If we succeed in killing Godzilla _and_ his allies, there'll be nothing left to stop us!"

He allows himself a smile.

Outside, Godzilla & his allies have caught up with Necrosan, who had trouble getting back on his feet as Mothra & Rodan were directly over the creature, ready to inflict more punishment.

Little did they know, it was _exactly_ where Fumio wanted them.

" _Now!_ ", he ordered.

Kubota pressed a button to open up ports alongside the building to reveal several cannons that began firing blue beams which packed a powerful punch as Mothra & Rodan soon found out, becoming the first victims. Struck in their chests, the giant butterfly & Pteranodon cried out as they were violently knocked away over to the Super Sports Xebio Morinomiya Q's Mall, crushing it & several buildings close by. Both monsters lay on their backs, their chests smoking from the extreme heat.

Mothra & Rodan were down for the count.

Rapunzel, Eugene & the rest were stunned at seeing such a display, realizing that the whole building itself has been made into a terrible weapon.

Anguirus, Sanda, Gaira & Godzilla were each next as the beams struck them & sent them sprawling across the land, creating crevices. This gave Necrosan time to get back up & make a counterattack: with his wing frames, he used them as spears & drove the points into Gaira & Sanda, placing them on each side of him before sending electric voltage into each gargantuan sibling. Anguirus was grabbed by the neck & flipped over on his shell before Necrosan fired his red beam directly onto his chest, creating bleeding cuts wherever they landed. With his tail, he stuck Godzilla square in the chest like he did last time, only deeper. Each one of the monsters cried out from the pain they were receiving as they fought to stay conscious, especially with the beams from the buildings' cannons adding to their anguish.

Fumio & Kubota grinned fiendishly.

 _Elsewhere inside the Crystal Tower:_

Philippe, Gus & General Ernie lead their friends through the building, shooting at anything with a weapon in their hands. For each wave of Fumio's men that came at them, precise hits took them down before advancing onto the next level. It became harder for them: the lower they descend, the more of Fumio's people were there to intercept them.

Now they're pinned down a hallway as a cluster of armed men stood between them & the stairway leading down to the next floor.

"There's no _end_ to these people!", Patricia shouted over the gunfire.

"And pretty soon, they're going to get in a lucky shot!", Stephanie says.

"Gus, why don't you use _another_ flash cufflink if you've still got them?", Hidemi asked.

"Won't work this time, love!", Gus said, putting two more down. "They're probably _wise_ to it by now!"

"So what do we do _now?_ ", asked Dennis.

"When I give the word, Gus, Philippe & I will _rush_ these maggots!", Ronald says.

"But they'll mow you three _down!_ ", Tajima said. "Isn't there a _better_ way?"

"Sorry, mon ami, but there isn't!", Philippe said. "If we're going down, we do it on our _feet!_ Once we rush these guys, the rest of you find another way out of here! We'll but you time until you all can somehow…"

A chorus of screams filled the hallway as Fumio's men get roasted alive by a blazing inferno that came out of nowhere. The group look to see their foes slump to the floor in charred heaps as a lone figure stepped into view, holding a bow & a quiver of arrows.

It was a figure they were _happy_ to see!

" _Merida!_ ", they cried & rushed her, with Gus & Elinor cuddling her in a hug before giving her kisses.

"You clever _girl!_ How'd _you_ get inside?", Gus asked.

"We attempted to get in but were surrounded by Fumio's men!", Merida answered. "By the time we were clear, they used shutters to seal the building! Only _I_ got inside!"

"They sealed off this whole building?", Elinor asked as Merida nodded.

"I _thought_ that was the case before!", said Philippe. "That sound we heard: it was to close this building & lock it down so we couldn't get out!"

"And so the others couldn't get _in!_ ", Dennis said.

"But if I got _inside_ , I can probably get us _out_ again!", Merida said. "We'll get to street level & see if my explosive arrows have enough power to blast a hole in them!"

"It's worth a shot!", said Nathan. "If not, we'll keep looking until we find _some_ kind of exit out of here…"

The building shook as something struck it from outside: a portion of the wall was literally torn away to reveal a giant silver robotic face that had a permanent grin & blue eyes.

"Jet Jaguar!", Merida, Elinor, Tajima & Hidemi said.

"You four _know_ this robot?", asked Stephanie.

"It's Hiroshi's!", Hidemi explains. "He's a project he & another were working on for many years but never came to life until recently!"

"In short…here's here to _help_ us!", said Philippe as Jet Jaguar gave him a thumbs-up gesture to indicate that he guessed correctly: hitching a ride in one of Mechagodzilla's hatchways, it exited the robot to assist in rescuing Fumio's prisoners.

Now at a height of 50 meters, he proves it by displaying an empty bus with the doors open & placed it at the edge for them to get aboard.

"Come on, people!", said Merida. "Jet Jaguar just gave us our ticket _out_ of here!"

"You folks go on ahead", General Ernie says, surprising everyone.

"General, what are you…", Nathan started to say.

" _Somebody_ ought to stay behind & make sure these alien maggots don't succeed in their mission _or_ get away if their plans go sour. If they do, they'll just start all over again – and make sure they _learn_ from their mistakes."

The group wanted to protest, but the sound of more footsteps gave them no time to debate it.

Ronald turned to them.

"Do this for me, people?", he asked

"Very well, General", Philippe said. "But know that we _will_ come back for you!"

"Fair enough. Get going, people – they ain't taking you hostage again! Not if _I_ have any say in it!"

Seeing his mind was made up, the group entered the bus as they leave Ronald behind before Jet Jaguar took them to safety, disappearing from sight. Almost right after the giant robot left, the hallway was filled with sixteen men, each one with guns aimed at Ronald who just stood there like he can't even see the firearms, showing he wasn't scared.

Of death _or_ of them.

A simple gesture with his hands urging them on was all it took.

Changing tactics, the men drop their guns & come at the U.S. Army general in a cluster, raising their fists to get in a swing. When they came into range, Ronald let them have it after dodging the first few fists that came at him: well-placed punches & kicks each as hard as stone connected with every assailant that dared to come at him. Having years of combat experience gave Ronald the edge, knowing when to strike & where to do it that ensure his enemy goes down.

When all was said & done, _he_ was the only one left standing.

"You maggots _thought_ you could take _me_ down?! _I've_ been handling pond scum like you since _before_ I was even _shaving_ …", Ronald barked fiercely at all the unconscious men. "While _you_ were all _wetting the bed!_ "

That's when even more of Fumio's men came into the room, becoming twice-three times the number of men he'd just put on the floor. All of them threw down their guns, wanting very badly to finish off the U.S. Army general using only their bare hands.

Ronald wasn't scared before, & he still isn't afraid now.

In fact, he allowed himself a little smile.

"You still want to finish off the big bad earthling with no more than mere fisticuffs, huh?", he says.

The men stared at him with faces of pure hatred.

"That's what I _figured!_ ", he said, raising his fists. " _Come on_ , you alien maggots! It's all or nothing, so _show me what you've got!_ "

Letting out a howling battle cry, the men charge at Ronald.

General Ernie does the same.

It was do or die time!

 _Outside the Crystal Tower:_

After Jet Jaguar got most of the people on the bus & took off, he came down to where Kristoff, Anna & the rest stood at. While they boarded the bus to be reunited with everyone else, Eugene wondered how Jet Jaguar was able to grow to a height of 50 meters. Hiroshi explained that it was a survival program he placed into him when Jet Jaguar was in the early planning stages, should an emergency for it ever arose.

Today was as good a day as any!

Having no room to put Maximus & Sven, Jet Jaguar took both steeds in his free hand before taking everyone to the bridge nearest the Futaba Book Binding Works building & placing the bus & both steeds down safely. Everybody poured out of the bus & gave their thanks to Jet Jaguar before their attention goes to the battles between Mechagodzilla & Diablo, & Necrosan…the latter of whom still has Anguirus, Gaira, Sanda _and_ Godzilla at his mercy.

"Jet Jaguar!", Hiroshi called too him. "Go assist Godzilla & his friends!"

The robot gave him a thumbs-up before taking to the air.

His first course of action was to deal with Necrosan as he flew in & clobbered the half-skeletal creature with such strength in the face that he was sent flying straight into another barrage of beams the Crystal Tower was showering the other monsters with. This time, the beams hit their _own_ fiendish creation, making him stunned & unable to fight due to the unexpected maneuver & hit.

With Necrosan incapacitated for now, Jet Jaguar sees Mechagodzilla in duel with Diablo, while MOGUERA was still immobile. Getting a quick readout of each combatant, Jet Jaguar calculates an idea in his head & flies off towards the battle to implement it.

In the Fukushima District, Mechagodzilla was in a literal heated battle against Diablo, striking with the robot's drill hand, maser beams, missiles from its remaining harness & Elsa's ice from the left palm. The masers hardly slowed him down, both the missiles & Elsa's ice weren't hitting him, & the drill hand hurt Diablo but didn't stop him. To make matters worse, Diablo used his fighting prowess to attack MG in surprise attacks of his own, causing mass destruction to buildings, vehicles & streets in the fight between the dueling monsters.

All their methods were close to useless.

And the Fukushima District was paying the price.

"Unbelievable!", Amanda says irritably. "All that armament we're throwing at this dinosaur, & _we're_ doing even _more_ damage to the city than _him!_ "

"It's regrettable, Amanda, I know!", Yoshi said. "But unless we _stop_ this thing, _all_ of Osaka will end up like this or worse! Let's just time our strikes carefully, & we may hit a weak point! Once we do, we'll exploit it & finish him!"

Having no answer, Amanda nodded as the battle raged on.

Olaf was as frustrated, & he doesn't hide it.

"We ought to _tar & feather _him, Elsa", he says. "He's nothing but a big _chicken_ – too afraid to fight us face-to-face!"

Elsa grinned despite the situation.

"More like he's using his own brand of stratagem against us, Olaf!", she said. "We just need to be smarter than him, wait until the right moment, & _then_ we'll…"

As Elsa spoke, Diablo reappeared from behind at a height of ten meters as he dropped down on Mechagoodzilla which caused the robot to fall onto the street on its face as the red Tyrannosaurus gave it a few stomps before unleashing with his intense fire that covered the back of MG, turning the degrees up exponentially.

The dorsal spines were starting to glow red.

 _The cockpit of MOGUERA:_

Sergei, Malvina & Boris worked frantically to get their machine back in action quickly, repairing whatever was damaged by Diablo's assault.

In spite of their best efforts, none of them could get MOGUERA operational the way they want it to be.

"This is _taking_ too long!", Boris barked, fixing a console. "Every second we waste here fixing this thing, Elsa & her crew remain in danger of that dinosaur! Can't we just go as we are?"

"If we do _that_ , Boris, more likely than not we'll end up getting MOGUERA damaged _beyond_ repair!", Malvina said. " _Then_ what good will we be?"

"But Elsa & her friends…"

" _I_ want to help them too, Boris, believe me! But we _can't_ send MOGUERA out there, damaged as it is!"

Sergei saw something on the monitor as Boris & Malvina spoke.

"Maybe we won't _have_ to be sent out after all!", he said, getting their attention. "Check your monitors!"

Boris & Malvina do as Sergei instructed, & they see a message from Jet Jaguar as he sends it in their own language for them to read, which they do quickly.

They each read the message quickly as follows:

' **Hello, MOGUERA crew. My name is Jet Jaguar.** **I am a robot created by Hiroshi** **Jinkawa from Tokyo,** **& I have need of your assistance:** **I need one of your spiral grenade missiles** **from your remaining cone arm.** **I have a plan to deal with** **that red dinosaur & put him down for good,** **but I need your missile. May I have it?** '

The three Russians look to each other, wondering if they should do as Jet Jaguar suggests.

"We've only just _met_ this robot!", Boris said. "Should we trust it?"

"Fixing MOGUERA to full capacity would take too long, so unless either of you has a better idea…", Malvina says.

"We don't, Malvina", Sergei says. "Therefore…let's give it what it wants."

Nodding, Malvina operated the right cone arm, raised & opened it up to reveal the lone spiral grenade missile for Jet Jaguar to take at his leisure. With his left hand, he pulled it out from its port before facing MOGUERA & gave it a thumbs-up gesture with his free hand, knowing the crew can see him.

He then took off to fulfil his plan.

Sergei, Malvina & Boris each wished him luck in a silent prayer.

 _Fukushima District:_

The Mechagodzilla crew fought to get the machine up & Diablo off, but the crimson Tyrannosaurus' weight kept MG lying flat on its face while he barbeques the robot's back as MG's dorsal spines turn redder by the second like a crab or lobster boiling in a pot. The heat was felt by everyone inside, including Olaf despite his suit's refrigeration unit.

 _Now I know how ice cream feels in the summer!_ , Olaf thought as his face started melting.

The flames abruptly stopped when Diablo was body-slammed by Jet Jaguar as he flew into the red Tyrannosaurus & took him to Nishiumeda Park, plowing him into the building next to it & bringing it down upon him. Jet Jaguar took Diablo by the tail & lifted him up & slammed him down several times in the area with his free hand, shaking the earth with each pummel. On the tenth attempt, Diablo vanished in a fiery haze & reemerged upon Jet Jaguar's back, spitting fire on his back to melt his armor like he tried doing with Mechagodzilla. Jet Jaguar avoids the problem by smacking his enemy in the chin & getting into a fierce brawl with the Tyrannosaurus, exchanging blows using feet, tail, jaws & fire bursts. Much of the immediate area suffered great damage as buildings get razed, spilling debris everywhere.

Through it all, Jet Jaguar held the spiral grenade missile in one hand & fought with the other…and did quite well!

Diablo then does a 360 degree turn, walloping Jet Jaguar in the chest & ramming him into a pair of buildings, demolishing both. The crimson Tyrannosaurus vanished & reappeared on his foe's chest, weighing him down & ready to melt him into useless slag.

By this time Mechagodzilla was back on its feet & Elsa fired a stream of her ice from MG's left palm that struck Diablo in the back, causing the dinosaur to cry out as the extreme cold was hurting its flesh. It was when Jet Jaguar put his plan in motion: with Diablo's mouth open, he placed the spiral grenade missile inside & literally shoved it down his throat before shoving him off. Elsa ceased her ice flow as Diablo gagged on what was stuck inside his throat & he used his internal body heat to warm himself up before launching a fireball at Jet Jaguar.

It would become his final act: when the flames hit the spiral grenade missile, it detonated in a blast which took off Diablo's head in a fiery holocaust that sent flaming pieces of it everywhere before the headless corpse of Diablo fell to the ground like a floppy rag doll, landing with a thud.

The terrible Tyrannosaurus' reign was over.

"Wow!", Olaf said, his shape retained. "And I thought people freaked out whenever _I_ lose _my_ head!"

Elsa giggled.

"At least with _you_ , Olaf, you can _reclaim_ your head!", she says. "That _dinosaur_ , on the other hand…"

"He ain't gonna be missed!", Olaf said simply, inciting a laugh from Elsa.

"No, he won't", she says as Olaf smiled.

Yoshi & Amanda smiled themselves, hearing their little chat.

That's when Jet Jaguar came towards them, putting the crew on alert.

But the robot does not attack Mechagodzilla: in fact, he holds up a finger indicating them to 'wait a moment'.

The crew pondered on what Jet Jaguar meant until he reached out & pulled off the petals Diablo fused together on MG's chest, giving the crew unrestricted access to the Absolute Zero Cannon.

Yoshi & Amanda checked the cannon's display functions.

"Readings are at 100%!", Amanda says. "We're back in business, Yoshi!"

"That we are, Amanda!", Yoshi said. "And with that dinosaur as extinct as its brethren, let's go take care of that _other_ prehistoric menace…and I _don't_ mean Godzilla!"

The sudden sound of an explosion caught Jet Jaguar's attention as he sees Necrosan's beams hitting the Crystal Tower from its base that causes it to wobble like a loose tooth. Dropping the petals he took off MG, he streaked towards the building & shrinks to his human-sized height.

He prayed he isn't too late.

 _Near the Crystal Tower:_

Ignoring his injuries, Godzilla got up & went after Necrosan, who also brushed his anguish aside to get back on his feet. The anger/rage both combatants felt for each other gave them an energy boost as they collided with shattering force & grappled fiercely before crashing into the IMP building, tearing it down as debris spilled the streets, followed by the OBP Academia/Panasonic Towers, reducing them to rubble in seconds. Anguirus, Gaira, Sanda, Mothra & Rodan tried getting up to assist Godzilla, but Fumio & Kubota would have none of it: the tower's beams were trained on each creature, keeping them at bay with powerful blue energy that caused them great pain.

It also keeps them from interfering in Godzilla & Necrosan's battle.

"Excellent!", Fumio said. "With us keeping Godzilla's friends at bay, he'll be all alone in dealing with Necrosan! He'll have a better chance at defeating him with no interference from Godzilla's peanut gallery!"

Fumio & Kubota chuckle.

"Continue training the beams on Godzilla's friends until they've all been killed, Kubota!", Fumio ordered.

"Copy that, Chairman!", Kubota replied.

Destroying another OBP building & the Hotel New Otani Osaka next to it, Godzilla & Necrosan exchange claw slashes at each other as the former takes his enemy in a headlock before seeing the condition of his allies: each one was getting pummeled by blue beams from the Crystal Tower, the same ones he himself was attacked by earlier.

Like them, it caused Godzilla great pain, & it was time to bring it down.

His brief stall gave Necrosan time to get free from Godzilla's headlock & faced the Monster King as he lit up the inside of his mouth to fire his weapon point blank.

Godzilla thought otherwise: grabbing his head, he redirected Necrosan's aim straight at the base of the Crystal Tower, causing an explosion that made it wobble a bit before it tilted to one side & collapsed in a shower of debris as it scattered across the street. Fumio & Kubota screamed in surprise & terror as their HQ literally came crashing down, burying them & everyone else within.

Tajima, Nathan, Gus & the rest cried out General Ernie's name, knowing he was still inside.

Nobody could even begin to guess if he was, or if by some chance he got out in time.

Either way, their hearts ached in not knowing.

Jamming his tail in Godzilla's side forced him to release Necrosan as the half-skeletal creature raised his wings & struck forth with them. Godzilla grabbed the ends in his hands, ignoring the pain of the electrical voltage emanating from them. Necrosan pushed forward with all his strength, wanting to puncture his flesh & roast him alive.

Godzilla was barely able to keep them at bay, but the electricity was making it difficult.

A volley of missiles struck Necrosan on the back & along the sides, peppering his body with explosions, making him withdraw from Godzilla as both creatures look up to see Mechagodzilla flying towards them. Elsa them shoots forth her ice from MG's left palm, striking Necrosan's wing frames that turned them bitter from the extreme cold.

Losing their solidity, they broke off into many pieces & left only the smallest stumps.

Mechagodzilla then landed near its flesh-&-blood counterpart facing the half-skeletal beast, letting out a metallic roar that echoed for miles. Godzilla & Necrosan's roars had the same effect.

MG's crew eyed the enemy with caution.

"With the Absolute Zero Cannon working again, I can finish this in one shot, Yoshi!", Elsa said.

"Not just yet, Elsa", Yoshi replied. "Like Godzilla & the other monsters, this one's faster than he looks. If you should somehow _miss_ him…"

Elsa rethought her position: with her power amplified by Mechagodzilla, she might unleash a powerful blast that could freeze solid a whole community, similar to what she once did to Arendelle years ago.

And unlike then, they most likely _won't_ thaw out.

"Point taken, Yoshi", Elsa said. "How _should_ we go about this then?"

"Let's soften him up further, for starters", Amanda said. "Once we do, we'll wait until the exact moment it'll be safe for you to deploy your ice – a time when we _know_ you _won't_ miss."

"How about shoving some _missiles_ in his face & rearranging it?", Olaf suggests.

The crew smiled at that.

"Good suggestion, Olaf!", Yoshi said, pressing a button.

A salvo of missiles shoot forth from MG's remaining shoulder harness, heading directly at Necrosan. The half-skeletal beast fired his beam at the oncoming salvo, detonating some but getting hit by the rest as his body was rocked by blasts all over. Godzilla & his robot double added to the mayhem by firing their heat ray & maser beams that struck Necrosan dead-on, causing him to bellow a roar of pain as his muscle flesh began to burn.

Necrosan was starting to show weakness, & both robot & flesh-&-blood Godzilla increase the pressure.

Intense heat from both radiation & maser were giving Necrosan's flesh punishment like never before, & even the bone areas were beginning to char from the heat. Necrosan struck with his own beam, hitting MG's remaining shoulder harness & blasting it into pieces. The explosion jarred the crew inside but were not badly shaken.

Changing tactics, MG's right hand was still in its drill form & the machine charged Necrosan.

"Say 'aaahhh', mister!", Olaf said.

Elsa grinned upon hearing that _and_ when Mechagodzilla's drill hand was rammed into Necrosan's side as it had pierced his muscled flesh, causing him to bellow out in a roar of agony. MG further assaulted the creature by firing its left maser cannon directly at his head & face, showering it with high energy that charred wherever the shots landed.

And being this close to the monster gave the crew the perfect chance.

"Elsa, our window of opportunity _just_ opened!", Yoshi said.

"I hear _that_ , Yoshi!", Elsa said. "Charging up the Absolute Zero Cannon now!"

Feeding the weapon her power, the cannon glowed a bright blue in the center of Mechagodzilla's chest, pulsating with Elsa's ice. Necrosan sensed he was in trouble & acted quickly: firing his beam at MG's drill hand, he blew it off at the wrist which caught the crew off-guard. Necrosan followed it up by doing a full 360 degree turn & swatted MG in the stomach with his tail, throwing the machine right into the Kyobashi OBP Kita & Yomiuri Telecasting Corporation buildings, crumbling them underneath MG's weight.

The sudden hit also forced Mechagodzilla to discharge its Absolute Zero Cannon, shooting Elsa's ice skywards & hitting nothing but air.

Anna & the others cried her sister & Yoshi's names upon seeing their misfortune.

Maximus, Sven & Pascal grunted in fear, praying their friends inside are okay.

Necrosan's focus on MG gave Godzilla the chance to make his move: charging in after his robot double was hit, he grabbed his enemy by the arm & bit down on his neck from behind his head & sank his teeth into it. Necrosan roared boisterously as Godzilla's fangs drew blood & threatened to tear off flesh; the half-skeletal creature raked at Godzilla with his free hand, but did no good as Godzilla ignored the claws & bit down further.

Godzilla means to rip his head off his shoulders, & Necrosan could feel the pressure of his flesh tearing.

For several minutes this ferocious fight lasted, getting more brutal by the second.

The half-skeletal creature wasn't going to allow himself become decapitated: swinging his tail forward, he struck Godzilla in his own neck as the sharp point jabbed his flesh that forced him to release his intended prey. Pulling it out, Godzilla had staggered back as Necrosan unleashed his fury upon the Monster King in vicious retaliation before firing his crimson beam at Godzilla. The beam's power had thrown the Monster King over the O River & onto where Osaka Castle once stood proud, landing with earth-shattering force.

With his enemy down for the count, Necrosan prepared to finish him for good.

Getting Mechagodzilla upright again, the crew can see the tussle between Godzilla & Necrosan, with the latter creature getting free from his foe's grip, give him a violent thrashing all over & finally shooting his beam that sent him straight to the remains of Osaka Castle.

"Yoshi…!", Elsa called out, feeding the machine her power.

"I see it too, Elsa!", Yoshi replied. "Juice us up & leave it to me!"

MG's Absolute Zero Cannon burned a bright blue, indicating it was ready to fire for another shot.

Yoshi fired the shot when Necrosan leaped at Godzilla, raising his tail with intent on stabbing him in the heart & kill him instantly. Almost immediately he was struck by Elsa's ice from Mechagodzilla's most powerful weapon & gets transformed into a gigantic ice creature in seconds while in mid-air. Although dazed from the hit, Godzilla saw his foe coming & get converted into an ice statue before firing his heat ray at his frozen foe.

Striking him square in the chest, the frozen form of Necrosan explodes in a shower of ice chunks that rain down everywhere. Large pieces struck buildings as small pieces no bigger than golf or tennis balls came down where Patricia & her group were at. Taking cover underneath nearby train bridges, everybody was fairly shielded from getting hit by ice particles in a shower that ended just as suddenly as it began.

"Everyone okay?", asked Gus.

"A little chilled by the quick ice storm, but otherwise dandy", Maui said.

" _I'm_ more worried about Elsa, Yoshi _and_ the General", said Moana.

"So are we, Moana", Akemi says before heading off towards the ruins of the Hotel New Otani Osaka, followed by Emiko & the rest.

They all pause when they see Godzilla rising to his feet & bellowing out a roar that all of Osaka heard as Anguirus, Gaira, Sanda, Mothra & Rodan all get themselves in an upright position & join in, knowing each one of their enemies on this evening are defeated. Even from where the MOGUERA crew remained, they could see the battle & its climax taking place on their monitors: Sergei, Malvina & Boris were all proud of Mechagodzilla's performance, & they nodded with smiles, each removing their helmets.

 _Well played, Elsa!_ , Sergei & Malvina thought, knowing it was _her_ that made the actual killing blow to Necrosan.

Their smiles disappeared when they saw Godzilla staring at them, curling his upper lip in anger: the machine had given the Monster King ample trouble during their last encounter & came close to taking his life.

"Godzilla thinks that _we're_ the ones who injected him with the poison that almost killed him four months ago!", Sergei said.

"And he can't tell that we're _not_ the pilots to have _done_ so to him!", Boris says. "If he attacks us in our current condition…"

"Just stay put & don't do anything, Boris, Sergei", Malvina says. "If we just remain where we are & don't attack or even move, maybe Godzilla will think twice."

It was a risk, but it's the best course of action they currently have…which was no action at all.

The three Russians needn't have bothered anyway: Godzilla caught that familiar scent he grew quite accustomed of detecting whenever it was nearby. Slowly, he turns around towards the direction of where he felt this presence often before: this year alone it was once in Russia, the other on the outskirts of France.

Now he feels it here in Japan's second largest city, & in no time he was staring at it in the form of Mechagodzilla.

Everyone's blood froze as Godzilla eyed his robot double before advancing towards it, his footsteps shaking the ground with every one he took. Some of these people never saw Godzilla up close like this, & they couldn't help but be mesmerized by his sheer size & grace of his movements: seeing him in video footage was one thing, but to see this colossal creature at this close of a range was an experience nobody was likely to forget.

Video footage & photos did nothing.

One had to see Godzilla _live_ to understand his sheer power, & to see just _why_ he has been proclaimed 'The King of the Monsters'.

Mostly, they were scared: not only for themselves but for the Mechagodzilla crew, particularly for _one_ person.

"Elsa!", the Sugimoto family said softly.

It didn't stop Hiroshi or Roku-chan from hearing them call her name.

"Why would Godzilla have any interest in Elsa, Uncle?", the young boy asked.

"I really can't say, Rokuro", Hiroshi replied.

Maximus & Sven were stiff with wonder & fear of the great reptile as they watched him advance towards MG, as Pascal turned yellow & cuddled next to Rapunzel's neck. His master/friend comforted him as best she could.

The MG crew were also tense as Godzilla came closer by the second, albeit slowly.

Olaf & Elsa were most concerned, knowing the reason for his approach.

"What should we _do_ , Elsa?", Olaf asked.

"I…I honestly _don't know_ , Olaf", Elsa replied softly.

Even though they're not sure what course to take from here, they _do_ know not to provoke the Monster King: the city already suffered enough destruction, & they wish to avoid creating any more if it can be helped.

Unless Godzilla himself provokes/instigates another attack, everyone stood down.

Godzilla came ever closer towards his robot double.

Mothra flew in & hovered between the two titans over the KDDI Osaka Building Post Office before she begins chirping in rapid intervals. Godzilla responds with grunts & low growls.

It became clear to the group what was going on.

"Tajima…are Mothra & Godzilla having a conversation with each other?", Hidemi asked in her tongue.

"I believe so, Hidemi", Tajima replied. "I only wish I knew _what_ they were saying."

"They're both discussing about Elsa", the Shobijin said in Japanese as they appeared from behind the cover of a piece of stone before approaching the group. Most of them were happy to see the two little ladies again, but to Hiroshi & Roku-chan, they were new to both.

Neither could believe that they were staring at living people that were only six inches tall.

Even Maui & Moana were awestruck by the Shobijin: they've of course heard stories about them, but unlike their ancient ancestors, have never witnessed them in the flesh until now.

Mothra & Godzilla continued their conversation as the Shobijin translated.

"Godzilla is arguing about Elsa because on the night they first met, she attacked him with her giant snow creature Marshmallow from out of nowhere. Mothra explains that Elsa – like her sister Anna & their friends Kristoff & Sven – are from more than 200 years in the past, all of whom have reawakened in this modern-day world after a long slumber in her ice. She informed Godzilla that Elsa & her friends came around in a world they didn't recognize, let alone know how it operated. They _also_ weren't aware that giant monsters still existed in this era as they've once did many years ago – both in their original time & even further back."

Godzilla grunted a bit more fiercely as Mothra still handed him the facts.

"Godzilla doesn't seem to buy into Mothra's story, does he?", Emiko asked.

"No", the Shobijin went on. "Godzilla is still very skeptical about Elsa, because of her attack on him in Tokyo last year. Mothra tells him that she did so because she's never seen him before, & that his attack upon Tokyo's populace made her angry as she wished to defend her new home & family."

That was when Gaira & Sanda stepped in as _they_ made grunts & the like, bringing themselves into the talks.

"Are Gaira & Sanda explaining about _their_ experiences with humans?", Akemi asked.

"Yes they are, Akemi", the Shobijin replied. "They're telling Godzilla that they once became fierce rivals with each other after their village was destroyed, each one believing the other to be the culprit. Only when Merida showed them who the _real_ killer was did they reconcile & become siblings again. Even after more than 1,000 years since she'd gotten them reunited in ancient Scotland, Gaira & Sanda still recognize Merida & what she'd done for them."

Mothra took over for the two siblings, raising a similar matter.

"Mothra herself also had valuable assistance from humans herself – ones that helped to save her life", the Shobijin say. "It was shortly after Elsa's supposed death that she fought a great evil in Corona when she became close to death's door. She would've _entered_ that door were it not for Rapunzel, who healed her in time to enable Mothra to defeat this evil along with Battra & other creatures. She goes even further back to when she nearly expired at the hands of the fire bird Manu Ahi until she received help from the legendary Te Fiti, who gave Mothra a rebirth & made her stronger than ever. During all that time, the original Maui & Moana stood by her side so that she may defeat the horrible fire bird the first time, which was almost 3,000 years ago."

Rodan swooped down on what remained of the Crystal Tower & put in his own two cents in a series of chirps.

"I take it Rodan has something he wants to add?", Hidemi asked.

"He does", the Shobijin reply. "Just like Godzilla has, _he_ also felt Elsa's power during that time when your family made the tour of their islands in the south Pacific, & again in Fukuoka on the day of your birthday, Hidemi. He's seen how valiantly Elsa protects her sister Anna & the rest of you from any kind of danger, no matter how big. Rodan gives a hypothesis that Elsa only wished to keep her family safe, & that Rodan would do no different for his own hatchling. He tells Godzilla that it's the same as with protecting Godzilla Junior – there was nothing _he_ wouldn't do to keep his young protégé safe from enemies."

Mothra puts in more information to share with Godzilla.

"Mothra concludes with telling Godzilla that, despite their differences, he & Elsa have worked together to defeat enemies that were powerful enough to kill both of them: the Seatopians' plant creature Biollante, Mugal's two cyborgs Mecha-King Ghidorah & Gigan, & Fumio & Kubota's creations of Diablo & Necrosan."

The mentioning of Mecha-King Ghidorah brought back sad memories for Emiko, remembering her friend Ayana who was duped by Mugal's people in piloting the creature until she made her see the truth.

Emiko hung her head until Akemi & Anna comforted her.

The Shobijin translate Mothra next few chirps.

"She adds that Elsa will again join forces with Godzilla whenever a threat looms over them, & that he should not have a problem with it, having done so on several occasions & even with Godzilla Junior twice already, putting in that Junior _trusts_ Elsa quite well."

The Shobijin & the monsters stay silent as Godzilla stared at his robot double & pondered upon all the information relayed to him by his allies: he's always been weary of those that attack him, be they giant monsters or even humans with an extraordinary talent such as conjuring up ice & snow on a whim. More than once he had the chance to obliterate Elsa with his heat ray at ease, but never followed through with his threat: maybe because _he's_ as much of a stranger in a strange land as she is, or perhaps it's because they share a strong feeling for family, i.e. he with Junior & she with her younger sister. Godzilla also pondered on when humans _helped_ monsters rather than trying to destroy them because of what they are: he sometimes wondered if _he_ had a better connection with humans like Mothra, the two gargantuas or, to an extent, creatures like Titanosaurus and/or Manda, for instance.

 _Could_ Godzilla have had a better relationship with humans before he became what he is now?

 _Would_ he have?

The crew of MOGUERA watch the spectacle on their monitors as Godzilla continued to stare at Mechagodzilla, preferably where Elsa is at.

 _So, what will you do now, Godzilla?_ , Malvina thought.

Boris & Sergei remain silent, orally & otherwise.

Anguirus was the only monster in the group to keep quiet & his opinions to himself: not that he didn't had any say in the matter, but because the conversation was both unusual yet fascinating to him, having heard about humans that have snow/ice powers & the like, & that they actually _helped_ their kind rather than trying to destroy them as many others have done in the past.

He simply waited & let the scenario play out.

Godzilla didn't weigh on it much: he gave his answer in a series of grunts & growls, which would be his final on the situation. Everyone waited with baited breath to hear what it will be.

"So…has Godzilla reached a decision?", Tajima asks.

"He has", The Shobijin say. "Godzilla says he will fight alongside Elsa when & if the need comes along, but due to her attacking him first in Tokyo last year on New Year's Day, Godzilla will _always_ have some resentment towards her, & that he will _never_ share any kind of special bond with the Snow Queen as Merida does with Gaira & Sanda, or Rapunzel, Eugene, Maui & Moana do with Mothra. In short, Godzilla doesn't see Elsa as a friend like he sees Anguirus. But..."

"But…?", Tajima, Hidemi, Akemi & Emiko ask.

"Godzilla doesn't see Elsa as a full-fledged enemy, either."

Most of the group was baffled about what's been said, having little to no knowledge of the Japanese language.

Except of course for Hiroshi & Rokuro: they stare at each other with looks that made them seem like they'd just seen ghosts.

In a weird way, they _were_.

"Elsa & her friends…aren't even from this _time?!_ ", Roku-chan said to his uncle.

Hiroshi was speechless.

Like the rest of her crew, Elsa stared at Godzilla via the monitor & was getting antsy on what decision the Monster King will make: continue & possibly finish their quarrel that lasted for 22 months & counting, or just accept the victory won this day & settle things between them another time, if ever.

 _What say you, Godzilla? Finish our quarrel, or bury the hatchet?_ , Elsa thought, itching for an answer.

Godzilla unleashed an ear-shattering roar moments before he turned around & started trotting off away from his robot double & the group below, leaving it all behind. Anguirus followed close behind, with Gaira & Sanda joining in as Rodan took to the skies, creating a wind that blew hair but thankfully didn't violently blow any vehicles or people.

Hidemi shielded the Shobijin with her arms before the pterodactyl got close.

Only Mothra stayed behind, watching Godzilla & the other monsters make their exit through the city.

The group watched them depart, their focus on them until a voice called to them.

"Hey…a little _help_ here?"

Everyone turned to see Jet Jaguar (at human-sized) helping a man staying on his feet, his uniform displaying an ample amount of tears stained with some blood.

" _General!_ ", they cried as they immediately rushed over to his side.

Jet Jaguar gently laid down the man as the group gathered around but left him plenty of elbow room.

Stephanie took his hand in hers.

"You _bugger!_ We all thought you _died_ when that building came down!", Gus said.

"I _would've_ – had it not been for _this_ fella here", Ronald says, fighting to get the words out. "Just as that tower came tumbling down, he appeared literally out of nowhere & used his body to shield mine. He's quite the hero, folks – the Japanese version of Iron Man, you might say."

Ronald chuckled but coughed afterwards.

"Rest easy, General", said Stephanie. "You'll be back on your feet in no time."

"General, you _should've_ allowed Gus, Merida _and_ myself to stay by your side, mon ami!", Philippe said.

Ronald simply shook his head.

"Negative, son", he said. "I wasn't _about_ to let any of you take the fall with me. I just wouldn't forgive myself if that were to happen." He gave a smile to his friends, however weak. "But don't worry: I'll let _you_ all become the heroes from this point on. And in _my_ book, you already are. Take care of each other."

Ronald's smile disappeared as he closed his eyes & his hand fell from Stephanie's.

What's more, a small breath left his mouth before he went limp & still.

The group was on the verge of panic before Rapunzel took his hand & placed it upon her head, singing her 'special song' as her hair started glowing. Seeing Rapunzel's hair shine a golden yellow from out of the blue was both a peculiar & mesmerizing display for Philippe, Dennis, Stephanie, Hiroshi & Rokuro as their eyes widened from the sight, having never seen Rapunzel's dazzling ability.

They stayed in a stunned stupor as Rapunzel checked to see if the General was responsive.

He wasn't.

Rapunzel sung her song again in hopes to revive Ronald like she once did with Eugene after a fatal stab wound from Mother Gothel's knife in the tower she kept Rapunzel in; if she could bring her husband back from the dead, then surely she could do the same for Ronald.

Again she checked to see if it did the trick, & again there was no response from the man.

Rapunzel started singing once more, but Eugene lowered Ronald's hand & stared at his wife with a sad face as he shook his head: _one_ attempt would've done the trick, & yet Rapunzel was about to try a third.

The look on her husband's face said it all.

Ronald Len Ernie, five-star general of the United States Army, is gone.

No amount of magic healing hair was going to bring him back.

Unable to contain her sorrow, Rapunzel went to her husband, buried her head in his shoulder & cried.

Eugene held her close as tears came from his own eyes.

Seeing that Ronald has passed, everyone else started unleashing their grief as the girls & Rokuro began crying as their loved ones gave them comfort, their own eyes showing their sorrow.

Maximus & Sven were no different: they wore faces of utter sadness upon seeing Rapunzel's inability to bring the General back like she once did Eugene. Pascal turned blue & shed tears himself, unable to hold it in any longer.

Even from their vantage point, the MOGUERA crew could see events that took place from where Jet Jaguar & his human friends were at. Like Patricia, Nathan & the rest, they were just as heartbroken on the sudden death of Ronald, who was as tough on the battlefield but a noble gentlemen as they came. Sergei took it the hardest, having actually met the man last year in Los Angeles after the destruction of the Bolshevik by Godzilla's hand before Mecha-King Ghidorah & Gigan arrived. He even attended the Christmas show with the man, not to mention attended Gus & Elinor's wedding in Birmingham, England as two of the guests of honor.

It tore him apart inside, & he shouted his denial before crying in grief.

Neither Malvina nor Boris stepped in, as their own faces were also filled with tears.

The Mechagodzilla crew were not immune either: Amanda began crying once it was confirmed that Ronald had expired as Yoshi comforted her while his co-pilot unleashed her sorrow. The JSDF commander did so himself.

From their compartment inside MG, Olaf turned to Elsa as the Snow Queen faced the snowman, her eyes moist & wet as they ran down her cheeks.

Olaf knew General Ernie was gone, & he hung his head.

Godzilla roared again as all eyes turned to the Monster King, who still strolled away from the city, going back the way he came as Anguirus, Gaira & Sanda followed behind him. The two gargantuan siblings paused briefly to look at Merida – whose face was wet from crying as Elinor & Gus held her close – with melancholy faces of their own.

Both creatures let out soft grunts to the Scottish redhead as if to say 'we're sorry for your loss', sensing all of the sadness in the air.

Unsure what else to do, Gaira & Sanda turned back & resumed their retreat with Godzilla & Anguirus.

Mothra let out a soft chirp, displaying her own feelings about the loss of General Ernie, detecting it from her twin guardians as they bow their heads in sorrow.

This horrific battle, which had so many people caught within Fumio & Kubota's crosshairs, has finally reached its conclusion.

It had become their most costly victory yet.

 **CHAPTER XI**

 _The Ernie residence, Emporia, Kansas, Wednesday, November 23_ _rd_ _, 9:00 p.m.:_

In the days that followed since the attack in Osaka, the clean-up crew went to work as any survivors that couldn't flee the city in time were getting treated for injuries & those who weren't so fortunate placed in body bags. MOGUERA & Mechagodzilla – both sustaining damage from their conflict with Diablo & Necrosan – will be taken over to a hidden JSDF base near Tokyo to get repairs done on each machine.

Sergei, Malvina & Boris gave Yoshi & the JSDF their sincerest thanks.

They added that the Russian government will send some consolation for their services to compensate in using their materials for fixing MOGUERA.

Yoshi was grateful in return.

At Tajima's house in Tokyo, Dennis, Stephanie Beatrice, Philippe Roache, Boris Romanoff, Hiroshi Jinkawa & Rokuro Ibuki were all given an explanation by Elsa, Rapunzel, Merida & the rest on their true places/times of origins & how they each ended up in the 21st Century, leaving out no details from their own adventures in their old timelines right up to their appearance in the modern-day world. Maui & Moana also added their family history tree, which dates back 3,000 years ago & how the legacy of the original demigod & voyager were kept alive for 30 centuries since Moana returned the heart of Te Fiti to its original owner.

Maui even gave a small demonstration of his lightning abilities from his fingers, followed by Elsa's snow & ice powers out in the backyard for everyone to see.

The new discoverers of their secrets were shocked yet amazed by the display.

When Hiroshi asked Elsa if she was born with her ability, the Snow Queen simply replied 'Hai'.

Rapunzel & Maui also gave a similar answer when asked about _their_ abilities.

Elsa also explained – with Maui, Moana & former Seatopian Queen Alura, who joined them – about their trip to Seatopia, from their being captured by Fumio's people to its untimely demise that had destroyed the undersea kingdom as they made their escape. Afterwards, Gus, Philippe, Stephanie & those who were kidnapped by Fumio's people each gave their own story of being abducted, with two of their stories ending with tragedies.

Hearing about the loss of Johannes & Anita in Norway, followed by Nikolai in Russia hurt everyone to the core.

Johannes & Anita's deaths were most hurtful to the Sugimoto family, as they were the ones who both discovered & defrosted Elsa, Anna, Kristoff & Sven from their 225-year slumber & into the modern world.

Were it not for them, the Arendelle quartet would still be sleeping in ice.

Tajima made a mental note to send a video message of sorts to the facility where Johannes & Anita had worked at & offer their condolences, since they'd be unable to attend their funeral.

They have one to attend in the United States later on in the month – one that they _cannot_ miss.

On the next day, Sergei, Malvina & Boris announced that they needed to return to Russia for some business, but have promised to return for General Ronald Len Ernie's funeral.

Upon returning to Moscow, the trio took a squadron of Boris & Malvina's people over to Pyotr Lipovsky's offices in the MIBC of the capital, gathering every piece of intel they can on what the late Bratva boss spoke of. Searching for a laptop, Boris opened it up & went through the files discovering the names of individuals who were attempting to hack America's presidential election, which was delayed until November 22nd due to the attack in Sydney, Australia where candidates Donald Trump & Hillary Clinton were paying a visit at the end of October. Their goal was to ruin Hillary so that she wouldn't win the election, & put Trump in the White House instead.

Every one of these attempts – be it in Moscow or elsewhere in Russia – were thwarted, & the responsible parties placed under arrest.

When called by the Kremlin to explain their actions, Sergei, Malvina & Boris displayed the information for all to see. That includes Russian President Vladimir Putin, who amazingly escaped being indicted for any wrongdoing: his name doesn't show up anywhere in the list of those who committed the hacking, & when it showed the name of the one who masterminded the plan, nobody could believe it.

At first, they believed it would be Pyotr Lipovsky or even Putin himself, but it wasn't.

It was Kazimir Volkov, the mad scientist that transformed himself into the red-furred gorilla monster Chaos.

The insane geneticist was planning on hacking America's presidential elections since July when Donald Trump announced on live television 'if Russia was listening' & swing it in his favor.

It was an unprecedented action that _nobody_ could see coming.

Even Vladimir Putin was shocked that a man who planned on turning himself into a giant monster would also try to ruin America's democracy by getting elected a man whose had several failed marriages & business dealings, & who has the personality of a three-year-old to become the leader of the Free World.

When Putin asked Sergei, Malvina & Boris on how they obtained this evidence, the Russian colonel presented to them a recording made by MOGUERA's systems when Pyotr Lipovsky contacted him in the robot's cockpit when they were in Osaka, with the Russian Bratva boss giving a full confession on the theft of Godzilla's blood/tissue samples & making clear of his association with Kazimir. It left little doubt that Pyotr was _also_ involved with the presidential hack, especially since the information _was_ discovered in his office.

Having all the evidence presented directly before them, every delegate in the Kremlin – including Vladimir Putin – congratulated Boris, Malvina & even Sergei for a job well done, not to mention fighting to save the planet from a race of deadly aliens & their monstrous creations that wished to conquer their home & make it their own.

They also offered their sympathies to Sergei's bodyguard Nikolai, who was killed performing the job he swore to do when the aliens in human guises ambushed the quartet at Malvina's home.

Sergei, Malvina & Boris thanked them kindly for their condolences before Putin declared the meeting adjourned.

Excusing themselves, Sergei, Malvina & Boris announced they had to be somewhere, & thus exited the Kremlin.

Arriving at one of Pyotr's living quarters, they were introduced to his wife Natasha & twin daughters.

Being invited inside, Sergei asked that their daughters be in another room, as what they had to relay to Natasha should currently be for her ears only. Reluctant but agreeing, she told them to head to their room & remain until their business was concluded. Taking a deep breath, the trio gave Natasha the full story, withholding nothing.

When they were finished, Natasha was in tears as Malvina comforted her as best she could.

Having been asked if she would fulfil her husband's wishes, Natasha agreed.

It will be hard for her & the girls at first, but she vowed to succeed no matter what.

Asked if she would be all right, Natasha assured them yes, & the trio wished her a good evening & again offered their sincerest condolences for the loss of her husband, Bratva boss or not.

The trio's hearts were heavy, feeling like they were made of lead.

As they promised, they returned to the United States on Monday the 21st of November in the nation's capital. It was there that Boris presented the evidence of Russia's meddling in the presidential elections which had been thwarted in time the day before the winner would be declared. Most everybody in Congress – including several Republicans – were disgusted by this attempt to demoralize the Constitution & turn America – the Land of the Free – into something of a dictatorship with a childish man as its ruler.

Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton was most furious of all, remembering when she was telling Trump _and_ the American people on live television that Russia wanted a puppet they could control once they made him president of the country & hurt Hillary. Mrs. Clinton was correct in her assumption, & the final results would be announced tomorrow evening.

It was a no-brainer: Hillary Clinton was declared the winner by several million votes over Donald Trump on the night of Tuesday, November 22nd, 2016.

As Barrack Obama became the first African-American president, Hillary Clinton became the first _female_ leader of the planet's greatest country.

Needless to say, Trump was very disappointed: not only did he _lose_ the presidency, his attempts at getting Russia to help him win were thwarted by those who hail from the very country he begged to achieve that goal.

 _His_ treasonous efforts will be dealt with in due time.

Thanking Sergei, Boris & Malvina for their efforts, Hillary was asked by the Russian ambassador if she would be so kind as to attend a memorial service for General Ronald Len Ernie, who gave his life to protect not only America, but the world at large.

Madame President said she'd be delighted.

On the morning of Wednesday, November 23rd, the funeral for General Ronald Len Ernie had commenced over at Memorial Lawn Cemetery, located in the town of Emporia, Kansas where Ronald had been born: along with the three Russians, The Benice, Fleming & Sugimoto families & their friends, Madame President Clinton, her staff & several top officials from Ronald's unit were also in attendance. This included Colonel Danielle Hale, Amanda & her mother Nila.

It was discovered by Elsa & company that Nila is Ronald's wife, who has been happily married to her since 1975, having four children.

Amanda was one of them, & is a high-ranking colonel like Danielle.

Maximus, Sven & Angus (who is doing _so_ much better since his near-fatal shooting) also attended the funeral, & Pascal turned red, white & blue to indicate the country Ronald served. All those that served under or with him – ranging from Colonel Hale to Elsa herself – gave a beautiful speech on what kind of man Ronald was, each one grabbing all the attendee's attention & even causing more than a few tears to shed.

Ronald's family did the same, getting a similar reaction.

When the speeches were over, trumpets played 'Amazing Grace' as General Ronald Len Ernie's coffin was then lowered into the ground as each person in attendance saluted him. Many tears stained a good number of faces as Ronald was being laid to rest.

Seeing Emiko crying, Sergei comforted the Japanese girl.

A small platoon of soldiers with rifles in hand fired off a trio of shots in the air as the coffin was lowered.

They echoed for many blocks in the neighborhood.

Once the services were done, Colonel Hale announced that they were scheduled to be at the United Nations in New York City on Black Friday to discuss the conditions of North Korea, Syria & Iran after their countries were attacked by Godzilla & other giant monsters.

Madame President Hillary Clinton, Colonels Hale & Ernie will be traveling in Air Force One while the rest will go in Stephanie Beatrice's personal plane.

Nila & her other kids will be remaining in Kansas to have Thanksgiving with their family alone, wishing to only be with them for the holidays even though she's grateful for the attendance of everyone.

Colonel Hale & the rest understood her feelings & wished her & the family a Happy Thanksgiving.

They arrived in the Big Apple 3 hours & 14 minutes later as the time there read 10:00.

Like last time, everyone will be staying at Stephanie's apartment complex over on One57, West 57th Street in the Big Apple. The three steeds will once again be at West Drive in Central Park in mobile stables with built-in heaters to keep Maximus, Sven & Angus warm on the cold November month. On Thanksgiving morning, the group enjoyed the CW's annual showing of 1934's 'March of the Wooden Soldiers' with Laurel & Hardy as Stephanie, Hidemi, Patricia & Elinor preparing the feast that is to be enjoyed later on. The three Russians & Philippe were as amused as the rest are with this classic musical comedy gem, learning some American customs as they go along.

The comedic antics of legends Stan Laurel & Oliver Hardy won't soon be forgotten.

During the day, they enjoyed the day's football games scheduled to play, giving their foreign friends another taste of American tradition in which they soak up. They were especially amused when Olaf & Pascal got deeply into the games & cried out when things didn't go as they'd hoped.

Olaf's appearance didn't faze either Danielle or Amanda as the former explained that shortly before Ronald was assigned to head to Japan when North Korea was becoming a problem, he told her _and_ Amanda of Elsa's abilities as well as her true place of origin, along with the rest of her friends. When Danielle & Amanda informed the group about this revelation the night before, they were stunned but were assured that Ronald trusted them with their secret, just like Sergei did so with Malvina when they traveled to Moscow in July.

Nobody had any reason to doubt Ronald's trust.

Philippe Roache also announced that he knew of Elsa & the rest being from another time: in Paris when they've performed at the club, he overheard the conversation Tajima & the others were having even though it was all spoken in Japanese. Like Gus, Philippe was fluent in several languages, explaining how he knew. It _was_ something he wanted to tell Gus in England when they were ambushed by Fumio's men.

He admitted, however, that seeing Rapunzel's hair glowing & Elsa being able to conjure up ice & snow like she can _did_ catch him off-guard, but still doesn't think any less of her _or_ the rest as decent loving people.

Same with Danielle & Amanda: considering they helped saved the world more than once, neither cared if they were from the time of King Leonidas in ancient Greece when he & his army of Spartans took on Xerxes & his Persians in the historic Battle of Thermopylae.

As they did with Malvina, the whole group 'welcomed them to the family', which also went for Boris Romanoff, Hiroshi Jinkawa & Rokuro Ibuki.

Danielle & the other new recruits smiled.

When it was time to eat, everyone said a prayer of thanks at the table, including prayers to Heaven above to take care of those departed in recent weeks/days that fought to defend the planet from hostile forces just as they did last year when Mugal & his Black Hole Aliens attempted to do the very same.

Everyone ate hearty, saying it was one of the best meals they've eaten.

On Black Friday, while everybody else was rushing to the stores for the latest in electronics (i.e. laptops, iPads), the United Nations held a conference with the ambassadors of North Korea, Syria & Iran. Hillary Clinton & her staff, U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley, Russian Ambassador Sergei Yeltsin, Colonels Danielle Hale & Amanda Ernie.

Russian Red Army Colonel Malvina Semenov & Police Colonel Boris Romanoff will stand guard near Nikki & Hillary. Elsa Sugimoto & Merida Fleming, attired in their MG crew & Spetsnaz outfits, also stood guard.

The Snow Queen's guns were worn upon her arms.

Also in attendance was Asma al-Assad, widow of Syrian President Bashar.

Nikki began by first expressing her sorrows to the Iranian ambassador of the destruction/death caused by Godzilla & Rodan in September, which he was grateful for. She listened as he explained what happened to his beloved land that drew both monsters to it, saying one official wasn't satisfied by the nuclear deal the still-current president made & had operated behind his own government's back.

Their talks ended with Nikki saying that America will still honor that agreement once the new president becomes sworn in. The Iranian ambassador thanked her again.

With the North Korean & Syrian ambassadors, things didn't go so smoothly as they both showed defiance to the ones sitting/standing in the room. Both spoke that their countries have shared an unbreakable bond for decades, & that they will continue to honor their late rulers by whatever means necessary.

Needless to say, it involves making weapons like they've always been doing.

Nikki Haley says otherwise: she stated that from this moment forth, North Korea & Syria are _never_ to conduct any business with each other involving weapons of any kind, be they chemical, nuclear or otherwise. She adds that any violation of this will result in consequences which will hurt their lands more than they've already suffered. To prove her point, Nikki showed the men video footage of Godzilla, Rodan, Gaira & Sanda causing destruction to the Korean Borders' DMZ & Pyongyang, followed by Syria receiving equal deadly punishment from the pterodactyl, gargantuan siblings & even Mothra.

She concludes with the fact that those who seek to destroy Godzilla with a nuke in the North Sea four months ago paid the price for their tomfoolery, & firmly stated to the men that she doubted they would want even just _one_ of the monsters paying their countries _another_ visit, should they ever construct a mass army of devastating weapons which leaves no room for anything else, let alone test-fire missiles over other countries such as Japan.

As it is shown on the video footage, monsters like Godzilla are even _less_ forgiving than the United Nations.

Madame President Hillary Clinton adds that North Korea & Syria may have a self-defense force to use in case of attack by giant monsters or a foreign nation, but _will not_ be possessing anything that's chemical _or_ nuclear.

Outraged, the two ambassadors stood up & shouted at Hillary & the rest. Elsa raised her right arm, aiming her gun at both men, ordering them to sit down. When they didn't, she stated that because North Korea callously fired their missiles over her home of Japan & scared her family half to death, she wouldn't mind freezing them where they stood.

Seeing the determination & no fear in her eyes, they do sit when Elsa ordered them again more firmly.

The meeting went on for a few more minutes when Asma al-Assad spoke her mind to Nikki & the others within the U.N.: she stated that she will be taking over for her late husband in ruling Syria & move it in a better direction that will hopefully end the current civil war there.

Difficult it may be, she will fight to make it a paradise.

Hillary, Nikki & the others wished her the best, & added that if she needs U.N. assistance, they would be there for her. Asma thanked them greatly for their commitment to her land.

Without warning, the North Korean & Syrian ambassadors rose from their seats, turned & made their way to the exit. Before leaving, they turned around as the North Korean ambassador stated that they are _glad_ that General Ronald Len Ernie is dead.

They went through the door just as Elsa, Merida, Danielle & Amanda's blood started to boil with rage.

It took _all_ their strength to fight back the urge to go after & pound the stuffing out of them.

Later that evening, Danielle & Amanda gave the details of the meeting to the others as they were just as enraged about what the North Korean ambassador said about Ronald as they were.

"Those _rats!_ ", Kristoff barked, punching the wall. "They got some _nerve_ to say that about the General! If only _we_ were at that meeting, Eugene, Maui & myself would've…"

"Whoa there, Kristoff", said Philippe. "We feel the same way, believe me: they _did_ have the mitigated gall to go & speak ill of Ronald in such a callous & cold-hearted manner. But it wouldn't have been worth it causing a scene at the United Nations. Problems there get solved by words, not fisticuffs."

Kristoff took a breath & let it out, more relaxed as he calmed himself.

"I wouldn't worry too much about it anyway, Kristoff", says Nathan. "Considering how much both North Korea _and_ Syria are changing for the better since Godzilla & the other monsters attacked their lands, I doubt there's anything they could do to revert back to what they _used_ to be."

"Nathan's right", Patricia adds. "They're _much_ happier now that their tyrannical rulers have both 'bitten the dust', so to speak. What are the ambassadors going to do – take on _all_ their people with their bare fists when all they want is a better life than the ones they've been _forced_ to live for many years? Good luck to them on _that_."

"They'll soon learn they _can't_ fight their own people, especially when it's something they've craved for so long", said Elinor. "If they try, they'll give in eventually lest they face the consequences of their foolishness."

"It just goes to show that when people band together to achieve a common goal, those that oppose them don't stand much of a chance", Dennis says as everyone nodded.

"In short, love & unity will _always_ triumph over hate & evil, no matter how strong that hate & evil may be", adds Stephanie. "North Korea & Syria's newly-found freedom are two prime examples."

"Amen!", they all cheered, some with a drink in hand.

"Speaking of 'band together'…", Boris brings up, turning to Elsa, Rapunzel, Merida & their friends. "Do forgive my curiosity, comrades, but…you people from centuries past share something of a _bond_ with the monsters, da?"

The group looked to each other before Merida started things off.

"Because I got Gaira & Sanda reunited as siblings rather than fierce enemies, I'd say they _trust_ me for it – greatly", she says. "It most likely grew stronger when I helped them with that octopus creature which attacked London during Gus & my Mum's honeymoon there. _That's_ what I'd put _my_ money on, & it's something I'd really like to keep."

"Same as with Eugene & myself with Mothra", Rapunzel says. "We've helped out the giant butterfly when she needed it most during that time in Corona. Neither she nor her twin priestesses have ever forgotten it to this day."

"That also goes for you & your _ancestors_ many years ago, does it not, Maui?", Sergei asks.

"It does, Sergei", Maui replied. "Our ancestors from Motunui formed a pact with that of Infant Island & its people since that fiasco with Kiapolo & her horrid tribe. It's been that way between them even now after nearly 30 centuries."

"But Elsa…you & Godzilla are _different_ ", Malvina says. " _Your_ relations with the Monster King are more, shall we say, grudgingly. It's nowhere _near_ as strong as Merida's with the two gargantuan siblings _or_ with Rapunzel, Eugene, Maui & Moana's are with Mothra."

"Not even close, Malvina", Elsa said plainly. "The Shobijin were right: I _was_ the one who attacked _him_ first when I sent Marshmallow to stop his rampage in Tokyo. He discovered that I'd been the one who conjured him up to battle him, & since that day he felt a kind of resentment towards me as I did with him when I saw his callous disregard for human life & destruction of property in my new home. Quite possibly the _only_ reason he _didn't_ roast me alive that night was when he saw me defending Anna, who was by my side that time. He knew I was willing to do whatever it took to keep my sister safe from him, as _he_ would do with Godzilla Junior."

"It's possibly the only thing you & him have in common, isn't it?", Stephanie asked.

" _One_ of them, Stephanie. The only _other_ factor Godzilla & I share is that we're both smart enough to join forces in order to combat an enemy that could possibly destroy us both: Biollante in Nagoya, Mecha-King Ghidorah & Gigan in Los Angeles, & that Necrosan creature in Osaka two weeks ago. But as for a trust/bond between us, I wouldn't put _any_ money on it. _Godzilla_ seems to be _okay_ with that notion, however."

"And…are _you_ okay with that, Elsa?", Moana asked.

Everyone in the room eyed the Snow Queen for an answer, their faces concerned.

The Snow Queen pondered on it for only a moment: considering the high resentment Godzilla has towards her, Elsa has more or less ceased trying to get the Monster King on the same level with her as Merida is with Gaira & Sanda, or Mothra with Eugene, Rapunzel, Maui & Moana. As long as they can work together to defeat a common enemy when they must, it's one thing they can share without too much hassle.

For Elsa, that's good enough for her.

She stares out the window that faces Central Park.

"Yes, Moana…I believe I am", she says, closing the book on it.

Merida, Rapunzel, Moana & everyone else let it go.

 _Somewhere over the Pacific Ocean, Saturday, November 26_ _th_ _, 1:30 a.m.:_

The large 747 flew over the ocean on a night with hardly a cloud in it as the stars shined brightly overhead. For most people it would be a sight to enjoy, possibly thinking of love & other beautiful things.

But the ambassadors of North Korea & Syria had other things on their minds aside from the scenery outside their plane's windows. They sat at a table with irate faces that would cause a lesser man to shrink in fear.

Neither was afraid to voice the reason for their sourness.

"The _nerve_ of the Americans to limit our mighty armed forces to a mere _defense force_ like those accursed people from Japan!", the North Korean ambassador says. "We have _every right_ to bear arms at _any magnitude_ that we choose! Who do they think they _are?!_ "

"And that _woman!_ ", said the Syrian ambassador. " _Who_ does _she_ think she is, raising her gun at & threatening to freeze _us_ like that?! That is an _outrage_ to _both_ our people, & should be _dealt_ with accordingly!"

"And deal with her we _shall!_ Once we get back to North Korea, I can compile a list of men that can find out who she is, where she, her family & friends live, & have them all taken out for their blatant insubordination!"

The men's faces turned gleefully & share a sinister laugh.

"Excellent!", the Syrian ambassador says. "At the very least, we can get even with those that dared to believe we could ever be humbled, & prove once & for all that Kim Jong Un & Bashar al-Assad's legacies thrive even from beyond the grave!"

They laugh again as the NK ambassador turned to a servant at the small cocktail bar.

"You there! Get us two glasses & the finest wine & bring them over here!", he ordered.

Nodding, the man does as told & placed them on a tray. Taking a peek out the window, his eyes go wide & the tray slipped from his hands & falls to the floor, shattering both glasses & bottle of wine.

" _Idiot!_ ", the Syrian ambassador barked as both men rise from their seats & approach him. "What's _wrong_ with you?! Don't you realize how _expensive_ that wine is?!"

The man didn't respond: he simply pointed to the window & backed away from it, his face still in shock.

Both ambassadors & the other men aboard peered out the windows where he pointed.

In a heartbeat, _their_ faces became those of fear: from 50 meters out, Rodan was flying across the same airspace as their plane & was zooming in fast. His large form covered the windows' frame in seconds.

All the men aboard had only a second or two to scream in terror before Rodan flew past their plane, destroying it in a large orange-yellow fireball, killing all aboard.

The Samurai of the Skies unleashed a cackling roar as he flew off into the night.

 **CHAPTER XII**

 _Madison Square Garden, Manhattan, Saturday, December 3_ _rd_ _, 7:00 p.m.:_

Since the meeting at the United Nations, the three families & their friends have been busy in preparing a concert at MSG to raise money for more monster disaster relief & support the cities that were struck by Godzilla & other beasts. Stephanie, Patricia, Nathan & the kids rehearsed on which songs they wished to do not only for the benefit concert, but also for the city's annual Christmas Tree lighting ceremony at Rockefeller Center – a tradition that has been in existence since 1933, & has been broadcasted live on television since 1997.

This year's annual tree lighting took place on November 30th, just three days before the MSG concert: Stephanie & her friends each gave a spectacular show as the tree lit up for all to see at the center itself & those who tuned in on the NBC network. As it is with tradition, a rendition of 'Joy To the World' was sung which Stephanie & company did exceptionally well.

A grand round of applause came from the crowd, from Tajima, Gus & company to everyone else in attendance.

It included the three steeds, Olaf & Pascal, the latter two saw it broadcasted on TV from their room.

On their way back to their rooms, Tajima made an announcement to the group during dinner: although he turned down Fumio's offer on merging his self-named company with his because of having great success standing alone, the Japanese scientist announced he _was_ going to do a merger with another company after so many years.

It was to be with Maui Enterprises in Hawaii, which will go into effect beginning in 2017 even as repairs to the building are underway.

The group cheered happily, becoming something of a Christmas present to Maui & Moana, who revealed to their friends that their last names are Kealoha – a name they adopted since some of their ancestors left Motunui for Hawaii many years ago & remained there to this day.

It was a Yuletide present like no other, & Maui & Moana were eternally grateful for it.

On the eve of their benefit concert at MSG, Olaf, Pascal & Stephanie were watching a Santa Claus & his elves on the corner giving to the Salvation Army. But upon closer observation, they saw that the elves were picking pockets with utmost stealth while putting their change in the red bucket.

The men were thieves getting a bigger score than their job entails.

Maximus, Sven & Angus were also viewing this un-holiday display, & were just as furious.

Stephanie thought quick & devised a plan to fix their wagon: whispering in their ears, Olaf & Pascal smiled with a nod before she relays the plan to Maximus. Grinning with delight, Maximus approached & taunted the Santa & his elves, getting their attention while Pascal stealthily took what they stole from their pockets before the men gave chase too Maximus, going around the block once. As they were gone, Sven took the pot with his teeth & hid as the men chased Max back to their corner only to find it gone.

Running to fetch the police, they found one two blocks later & brought him to their corner.

But when they did, they found the pot back in place along with everything they took from those who donated, all placed in a neat pile. Next to it was a note written on cardboard:

' **We are a fake Santa & elves: we're really thieves who have been pickpocketing people as they donated to the Salvation Army**'

Underneath it was another message, all letters in caps:

' **P.S.: THE N.Y.P.D. STINKS!'**

The word 'stinks' was underlined – twice.

Outraged, the cop called for backup & a paddy wagon.

When they arrived to take the men away, they fought every step of the way, saying they never wrote that message as they were being placed inside the wagon.

"Really? Then who wrote it, Casper? _Get inside!_ ", said one cop, shoving the men within & shutting the doors.

Another officer gathered all stolen merchandise to be returned to their rightful owners.

Stephanie, Dennis, Olaf, Pascal & the steeds watched as the NYPD wagon drove off with its prisoners, each one smiling as Dennis held up the black marker he used to write the messages.

"Maybe _now_ they'll think _twice_ before ruining anybody's holiday spirit", Dennis said.

"Where _they're_ going, Dennis, they'll have _plenty_ of time to give it some thought", Olaf says. "But there _is_ one thing that still bothering me…who's Casper?"

Dennis & Stephanie giggle at the snowman's remark.

"I'll tell you tomorrow", Stephanie says, snuggling up to Olaf & holding Pascal in her hand. "Well done, Santa's little helpers!"

She kissed Olaf & Pascal on their cheeks as they went all mushy.

She did the same to Maximus, Sven & Angus as the former two acted the same way.

Finally, it was showtime: it was attended by the three families & their friends, U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley, the newly-elected president Hillary Clinton, Colonels Hale & Ernie & members of their unit. It started out in a tribute to General Ronald Len Ernie as they recreate the ending scene in 1954's 'White Christmas', where General Waverly's old unit head down to the Inn he owns to offer their holiday greetings to the man who got them through World War II.

With Danielle & Amanda standing center stage, the men – including Elsa Sugimoto – march in precisely like in the movie as they sing the number 'Old Man', with the orchestra starting it off:

We'll follow the old man wherever he wants to go

Long as he wants to go opposite to the foe

We'll stay with the old man wherever he wants to stay

Long as he stays away from the battle's fray

Because we love him, we love him

Especially when he keeps us on the ball

And we'll tell the kiddies we answered duty's call

With the grandest son of a soldier of them all

Because we love him, we love him

Especially when he keeps us on the ball

And we'll tell the kiddies we answered duty's call

With the grandest son of a soldier of them all

Colonel Amanda Ernie took the stage with Danielle Hale as she gave a speech on her father.

"When I was younger, my father taught me two things: to be like a rock when you had to stand up to something you knew was wrong, but also to show compassion to your fellow man & woman at the appropriate times. Whenever he was on the battlefield, he gave his all to bring down the enemy, be it from a foreign nation or even another _planet_ that wished to conquer all humanity. But at home, he was a devoted husband & father to his wife & four children, the likes of which can be displayed across the globe if we work hard enough to accomplish it. Last month, he gave his life to defeat interstellar enemies that would've either enslaved or annihilated all of mankind, never giving them an inch or asking for any in return. He fought to the last man standing, & while my father may be gone in body, his fierce fighting spirit & humane attitudes towards others' lives on in each of us. It most certainly does in myself _and_ in Miss Danielle Hale, who has just been promoted from Colonel to the rank of General, of whom I am most honored to serve under."

A huge round of applause from both soldiers & audience alike erupted inside the Garden as Danielle & Amanda go around & shake the hands of each soldier including Elsa, who grins in love & appreciation to both ladies.

"And now, men…it's time to take your seats!", General Hale announced before she grinned herself. "Tonight's show is about to begin!"

Smiling, the men do as instructed as Elsa heads backstage.

Once the stage was cleared, an orchestra played as Eugene, Kristoff & Maui – each dressed in a uniform – appear & begin the number 'Gee, I wish I was back in the Army' like Bing Crosby & Danny Kaye did in the movie:

When I was mustered out (ho-ho!)

I thought without a doubt (ho-ho!)

That I was through with all my care & strife

Oh, but I thought that I was then (nay!)

The happiest of men (nay!)

But after months of tough civilian life (hoop-de-do, hut!)

Gee, I wish I was back in the Army

The Army wasn't really bad at all

Three meals a day (three!)

For which you didn't pay

Uniforms for winter, spring & fall

There's a lot to be said for the Army

The life without responsibility

A soldier out of luck

Was really never stuck

There's always someone higher up where you can pass the buck

Oh, gee, I wish I was back in the Army

(Stephanie, Patricia, Merida,, Rapunzel, Moana, Anna & Elsa appear on stage, also in soldiers' uniforms as they sing)

Gee, I wish I was back in the Army

The Army was the place to find romance

Soldiers & WACS

The WACS who dressed in slacks

Dancing cheek to cheek & pants to pants

There's a lot to be said for the Army

A gal was never lost for company

A million handsome guys

With longing in their eyes

And all you had to do was pick the age, the weight, the size

Oh, gee, I wish I was back in the Army

(The girls briefly exit the stage as the boys take over)

Gee, I wish I was back in the Army

The shows we got civilians couldn't see

How we would yell (hey-hey!)

For Dietrich & Cornell (tweet!)

Jolson, Hope & Benny all for free

There's a lot to be said for the Army

The best of doctors watched you carefully

A dentist & a clerk

For weeks & weeks they'd work

They'd make a thousand dollar job & give it to a jerk

(The girl return on stage to finish the number with the boys)

Oh, gee, I wish I was back in the Army

(Hidden behind stage was a plethora of lights that shined on the group, turning their uniforms into civilian clothes)

Three meals a day for which you didn't pay

A million handsome guys with longing in their eyes

I thought that I was through with all my care & strife

But after months & months of tough civilian life

Oh, gee…I wish I was back in the Army now

Everyone received a round of applause as the guys & girls bowed in favor of their performance before exiting the stage. Moments later, Maui came back to perform a handful of holiday tunes including this number which had first been done by Louis Armstrong in 1953. The version Maui will do is sung by Buster Poindexter in the late 1980s, as the stage got set up to look like the inside of a house, with Maui draping a purple robe over his tux to begin.

A small chorus of Stephanie's backup singers help out at their cue as Maui's song begins with the sound of a cold wind blowing before a knock on the door occurs & the music plays after his opening line:

'Zat you, Santa Claus?

Gifts I'm preparing for some Christmas sharing

But I pause because

Hanging my stocking I can hear a knocking

'Zat you, Santa Claus?

Sure is dark out, ain't the slightest spark out

'Pon my slackened jaws

Who's there, who is it? Are you stopping for a visit

'Zat you, Santa Claus?

Are you bringing a present for me

Something pleasantly pleasant for me

That is just what I've been waiting for

Would you mind slipping it under the door?

Cold winds are howling, or could that be growling

My legs feel like straws

My my oh me my, kindly would you reply

'Zat you, Santa Claus?

(An orchestra of trumpets commenced as Maui took off his robe & threw it off stage before doing a small dance)

Hanging the stocking, I can hear a knocking

'Zat you, Santa Claus?

I say, who's there, who is it, are you stopping for a visit

'Zat you, Santa Claus?

Oh there, Santa, you gave me a scare

Now stop your teasing 'cause I know you're there

We don't believe in no goblins today

But I can't explain why I'm shaking that way

Bet I can see ol' Santa in the keyhole

I'll get to the cause

One peek & I'll try there, uh-oh, there's an eye there

'Zat you, Santa Claus?

Please, please, pity my knees

'Zat you, Santa Claus?

That's him, all right!

The song ends the same way it began – with the blowing winds as Maui took a grinning bow to the crowd that's applauded before exiting. Eugene Benice & Kristoff Sugimoto had come up next, performing as a duo & doing mostly classic country holiday tunes ranging from Jimmy Dean's 'Little Sandy Sleighfoot', Johnny Horton's 'The Shined Up Rudolph's Nose' (with Sven as said reindeer with flashing red nose prop), & Ferlin Husky's 'In Santa's Bag', to name but a few.

This next number was a duo originally done by David Bowie & the Crooner Bing Crosby, who recorded it back in September 1977, only nearly five weeks before Bing died from a heart attack while golfing in Spain at the age of 74.

As Eugene & Kristoff did Bowie's part, their partner was none other than Sergei Yeltsin himself, who asked to be joined up with both gentlemen.

Having memorized his parts, Sergei was happily accepted & they now show their combined talents to the audience on this fine ballad:

Come they told me, pa-rum-pum-pum-pum

A newborn king to see, pa-rum-pum-pum-pum

Our finest gifts we bring, pa-rum-pum-pum-pum

Rum-pum-pum-pum, rum-pum-pum-pum

(As Bowie & Crosby did, Sergei kept singing 'Little Drummer Boy' as Eugene & Kristoff did the 'Peace on Earth' bit)

Peace on Earth, can it be

Years from now, perhaps we'll see

See the day of glory

See the day when men of good will

Live in peace, live in peace again

Peace on Earth, can it be

(The three men join in the next four lines, singing as one before doing so separate afterwards)

Every child must be made aware

Every child must be made to care

Care enough for his fellow man

To give all the love that he can

I pray my wish will come true

For my child & your child too

He'll see the day of glory

See the day when men of good will

Live in peace, live in peace again

Peace on Earth, can it be

Can it be

A raucous round of cheer erupts from the crowd as Sergei asked his two friends 'Is pretty thing, isn't it?'.

Eugene & Kristoff replied with a simultaneous 'Da'.

Grinning, he shook their hands as Sergei looked to the Heavens.

 _That was for you, Nikolai, General Ernie_ , he thought.

His thoughts were shared by Boris & Malvina, both of whom wiped tears away.

Merida Fleming & Moana came on next as they also did holiday duets upon several songs including this number which was done by Canadian musician Loreena McKennitt, who specializes in Middle Eastern & Celtic sound.

Both ladies collaborate beautifully on this song, written in 1853 by John Mason Neale & Thomas Helmore.

Their song 'Good King Wenceslas' begins with a Celtic rhythm before vocals commence:

Good King Wenceslas looked out

On the Feast of Stephen

When the snow lay 'round about

Deep & crisp & even

Brightly shone the moon that night

Though the frost was cruel

When a poor man came in sight

Gath'ring winter fuel

"Hither, page, & stand by me

If thou know'st it, telling

Yonder peasant, who is he?

Where & what his dwelling?"

"Sire, he lives a good league hence

Underneath the mountain

Right against the forest fence

By Saint Agnes' fountain"

(A Celtic musical interlude commences before Merida & Moana resume with the vocals)

"Sire, the night is darker now

And the wind blows stronger

Fails my heart, I know not how

I can go no longer"

"Mark my footsteps, my good page

Tread thou in them boldly

Thou shall find the winter's rage

Freeze the blood less coldly"

In his master's step he trod

Where the snow lay dinted

Heat was in the very sod

Which the Saint had printed

Therefore, Christian men, rejoice

Wealth or rank possessing

Ye, who now will bless the poor

Shall yourselves find blessing

Both ladies took a bow before leaving the stage to allow the next group of performers who happen to be Patricia, Rapunzel & Nathan Benice, accompanied by Stephanie Beatrice. They give their all on several songs that featured this one from Amy Grant's 'A Christmas To Remember' album as the ladies sing the title track.

Nathan provides guitar as the ladies do vocals on this soft rock tune with Stephanie doing a quick piano opening:

Twinkling lights

A chill is in the air

And carols everywhere

Close your eyes it's almost here

Candles & cards

And favorite movie scenes

The smell of evergreen

As special as it's always been

And I have a dream or two

And maybe they will come true

Setting our hopes on a big snow tonight

We'll wake up to a world of white

And it's gonna be a Christmas to remember

Light up the fire

Play some Nat King Cole

Always sentimental & don't you know

That it's gonna be a Christmas to remember

I know it's true

Time doesn't stand still

Many things can change

But we know some things never will

The memories we share

The songs we always sing

The mystery of life

The hopefulness this season brings

And I have a dream or two

And maybe they will come true

Setting our hopes on a big snow tonight

We'll wake up to a world of white

And it's gonna be a Christmas to remember

Light up the fire

Play some Nat King Cole

Always sentimental & don't you know

That it's gonna be a Christmas to remember

(Remember)

To remember (Remember)

(Nathan & Stephanie do a musical interlude before the ladies resume on vocals)

And I have a dream or two

And maybe they will come true

Come true

Setting our hopes on a big snow tonight

We'll wake up to a world of white

And it's gonna be a Christmas to remember

Light up the fire

Play some Nat King Cole

Always sentimental & don't you know

That it's gonna be a Christmas to remember

(Remember)

To remember (Remember)

(Christmas to remember)

(Christmas to remember)

Remember

The Benice family & Stephanie Beatrice soak up the applause as they clear the way for Anna & Elsa Sugimoto, who were each dressed in a red & blue Mrs. Claus suit & sit on a couch while they perform songs with this number as one of them: coming directly from Carnie & Wendy Wilson's 'Hey Santa' album released in 1993, the girls do the title track.

It starts out slow before picking up the pace:

The city is covered in snow tonight

The children fast asleep

I'm waiting for him, but he's nowhere in sight

And I wonder if he could hear me

Hey Santa (Hey Santa) Santa

I wish with all my might

Hey Santa (Hey Santa) Santa

Bring my baby home tonight

Why does it feel like it's colder than winter

Even by the fireside?

My baby said that he'd be home for Christmas

And now it's almost midnight

The Christmas lights up & down the street are

Such a sight to see

But all the presents by the tree

They don't mean a thing till he's with me

Hey Santa (Hey Santa) Santa

I wish with all my might

Hey Santa (Hey Santa) Santa

If you hear me won't you hurry

Bring my baby tonight

I know your sleigh is full inside

But won't you stop & give my baby a ride

I'll be waiting by candlelight this Christmas

Uh-huh

The Christmas lights up & down the street are

Such a sight to see

But all the presents by the tree

They don't mean a thing, Santa please hear me

Hey Santa (Hey Santa) Santa

I wish with all my might

Hey Santa (Hey Santa) Santa

If you hear me won't you hurry

Bring my baby tonight

(A brief soft rock musical interlude took place before Anna & Elsa complete the song)

The Christmas lights up & down the street

The presents by the tree

I hear a knock, oh can it be?

My wish is staring back at me

Hey Santa (Hey Santa) Santa

I guess you heard me tonight (yeah)

Hey Santa (Hey Santa) Santa

I'm underneath the mistletoe with my baby tonight

(Sleigh ride, sleigh ride, sleigh ride)

With my baby tonight

Everybody – from the three families & their friends – to the audience members cheered at the Sugimoto sisters' rendition of the former members of the Wilson Phillips singing trio's holiday tune.

They knew those they lost this year – from Nikolai to General Ronald Len Ernie – would be extremely proud of them.

More than a few tears came from their eyes when they thought of these departed souls.

 _9:55 p.m.:_

During the concert, other acts were getting their share of stage time, ranging from a showing of 'The Nutcracker' to a children's choir performing some of the most beautiful holiday hymns ever written & recorded. Each one was given a marvelous thunder of cheer for their display of spreading Christmas joy to their heart's desire.

Before the last few minutes were up, a brief intermission ensued, giving the group time for quick conversation.

"Unbelievable, monsieur!", Phillipe said, staring at Boris. "You & Pyotr Lipovsky…were once _friends?_ "

"Since our childhood, da", Boris said. "We grew up together during school: I took to law enforcement, while he went down road to boxing & Bratva."

"Gus, Elinor…remember when I mentioned that Pyotr was busted for robbing a convenience store?", Malvina asked as they nodded. "Boris was the one who made that arrest."

"It must've been tough for you to turn on a friend like that, no doubt", Gus said.

"It hurt, but…in our line of work, we cannot allow personal feelings to interfere with duties", Boris said. "Did you know I once had to go & arrest my own _mother?_ "

This stunned the two agents & Elinor.

"Good _heavens!_ What crime did _she_ commit?", Elinor wondered.

"Went too fast over speed limit", Boris says. "It was misdemeanor charge, but she got temperamental & had to be taken in custody. After brief falling out, she realized her error & has kept out of trouble since. That is good lesson to be learned: sometimes one must do a deed even if it hurts to steer one in right direction. While it may be hard on one's conscience at times, the end result is usually worth emotional pain. Never stop yourself from doing right thing…even if good friend or family member might disagree with choice you make."

"Excellent advice. Merci, monsieur", Philippe said.

"You can bet that neither we nor the kids will _ever_ quit in doing the right thing, mate", Gus said.

"Speaking of 'the kids'…I believe they're going to take us out this evening", Malvina said, pointing to the stage as it lights up once more to display a Hawaiian setting with palm trees decorated with Christmas lights. Eugene, Maui, Kristoff, Moana, Rapunzel, Merida, Anna & Elsa were all dressed in Hawaiian gear as they prepare for the show's final number: a song that was first written in 1949, becoming another popular holiday duet between Bing Crosby & the famed Andrews Sisters in 1950.

With a Hawaiian musical start, the boys began singing with the girls doing their parts along the way:

Mele Kalikimaka is the thing to say

On a bright Hawaiian Christmas day

That's the island greeting that we send to you

From the land where palm trees sway

Here we know that Christmas will be green & bright

The sun to shine by day & all the stars at night

Mele Kalikimaka is Hawaii's way

To say Merry Christmas to you

(The girls take over for the next verse)

Mele Kalikimaka is the thing to say

On a bright Hawaiian Christmas day

That's the island greeting that we send to you

From the land where palm trees sway

Here we know that Christmas will be green & bright

The sun to shine by day & all the stars at night

Mele Kalikimaka is Hawaii's way

To say Merry Christmas to you

(A jazzy musical interlude followed next before the guys & girls resume vocals)

Here we know that Christmas will be green & bright

The sun to shine by day & all the stars at night

Mele Kalikimaka is Hawaii's way

To say Merry Christmas to you

Mele Kalikimaka is the thing to say

On a bright Hawaiian Christmas day

That's the island greeting that we send to you

From the land where palm trees sway

Here we know that Christmas will be green & bright

The sun to shine by day & all the stars at night

Mele Kalikimaka is Hawaii's way

To say Merry Christmas

A very Merry Christmas

A very, very, Merry, Merry Christmas to you

Everyone in the audience gave the group the cheer they deserve as they took a bow in the final act of the evening's performance in NYC's Madison Square Garden, smiling in gratitude. From the sidelines backstage, Stephanie & Dennis were very proud to have witnessed Elsa, Rapunzel, Merida & company to once again put on a terrific show on stage as most of them have done in Paris over the summer.

And they must admit that Maui & Moana weren't shabby either.

 _Those two kids weren't shabby at all!_ , Stephanie thought proudly.

She made a mental note to get them to perform with her in the future.

For the kids, it was more than helping Patricia, Nathan & Stephanie to raise money for those affected in monster attacks: it was in loving tribute to the ones they lost during this year.

Johannes & Anita from Norway, who thawed out the Arendelle trio & Sven three years ago; Nikolai, who gave his life to keep the Russian ambassador safe from alien invaders; General Ronald Len Ernie, who had recruited Elsa as a member of the Mechagodzilla crew & gave his all to keep Earth safe from Fumio & his band of alien roaches.

Each one said a silent prayer to their souls, saying this performance was for them & hoped they enjoyed it.

For Maui & Moana, it was also in memory of their original ancestors from 3,000 years ago.

Alura was also in attendance, incognito as she watched from the rear: once the meeting at the United Nations was over, she informed the group that she would be in attendance at the show, but once it was over, she'd be on her way out somewhere into the world.

When Elsa asked where she would go, Alura answered she didn't know, but will never forget their kindness.

Before the show started, they wished her the best of luck, knowing they wouldn't be seeing her afterwards.

On the plus side, Alura knew she was welcome at any of their homes if ever she was in trouble of any kind.

She applauded with a smile before rising from her chair & taking her leave.

The former Seatopian Queen mentally wished her friends a _very_ Merry Christmas & Happy New Year.

Exiting the Garden, she disappeared into the crowd of New Yorkers young & old.

Alura had a bold new world to explore!

 **EPILOGUE**

 _Throughout the month of December:_

Like always, the holiday was a joyous but busy time of the year: the alien cockroaches that were captured in both Moscow, Russia & Tokyo, Japan were taken to a secluded spot outside their cities away from prying eyes by Russian Spetsnaz & JSDF soldiers.

Each of them were shot dead before burned to ashes & buried where they'll remains will never be found.

Former President-Elect Donald Trump was sentenced first to house arrest at one of his luxury homes, where he will spend his Christmas & New Year's holiday with his family, each of whom will be searched thoroughly by heavily-armed guards in case they were hiding anything that could be used to help spring their husband/father from the house.

On every visit, each family member were found with nothing of the kind.

Despite his predicament, the Trumps did their best to enjoy their Christmas.

When January 2nd arrives, Trump will be shipped off to Rikers Island Prison in the Bronx.

He will spend the rest of his days there for treason & colluding with Russia to influence the 2016 Elections in his favor.

When he'd once argued the matter & bragged on how he could've 'Made America Great Again', one guard told him that he should be lucky he wasn't killed by Godzilla or any of the other monsters when they attacked Sydney while he was there.

It silenced Trump in a second, & he closed the book on it.

Come what 2017, he'll be wearing orange instead of blue/black tuxes.

 _Across the globe:_

Mothra flew everywhere she could, flying first over cities that were struck by monsters: London, England; Paris, France; St. Petersburg & Moscow, Russia; Tehran, Iran; Damascus, Syria; Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong; Pyongyang, North Korea; Sydney, Australia; Honolulu, Hawaii; Fukuoka & Osaka, Japan.

With every city she passed over, Mothra unleashed a thick stream of glittering particles in different colors which indicated peace & good will to all men & women. The sight of it helped put bright smiles over most people's faces as this colorful stream remained over their cities & shined brightly every evening until 2016 came to an end.

It became Mothra's Christmas present to wherever she went, be they cities that suffered destruction or not.

The Islands of Monsters were no different: Mothra made a pass over the homes & all the inhabitants – Kumonga, the Kamacuras, Gabara, Battra (all fully healed), Ebirah, Gezora, Ganime, Kameba, Zilla, Titanosaurus, Gorosaurus, Baragon, Varan, Anguirus, Gaira, Sanda, Rodan, Little Rodan, Manda, Godzilla & Godzilla Junior – looked to the skies to see the colorful display over their territory by the giant lepidopteran.

Just like last year, the monsters didn't know exactly what this kind of display emanated, let alone meant.

But also like the previous holiday season, they _did_ know it gave them a warm feeling that has soothed even _their_ violent tendencies.

Little Rodan & Godzilla Junior were affected by its warm glow the most, & were both very happy to witness its luminescence in the evening skies.

Having received the warm aura, the monsters felt relaxed & at peace during this time of year.

It's too bad it can't last forever, but during this period, they savor it as much as they can.

Should one look at the Earth from space, it would look something like a blue/green/brown planet with shining lights of white & multiple colors – almost like a Christmas ornament.

Another Christmas season can be celebrated on the planet, thanks to the Benice, Fleming & Sugimoto families & their friends, some of whom have made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure its survival. Godzilla & the other monsters also had a hand in its protection in no small part, working alongside with the humans to vanquish the invaders.

Life in America, Japan & everywhere else on planet Earth continued.

 **MEMORIALS:**

Carlos Ezquerra, Spanish Comic Book Artist & Co-Creator of Judge Dredd, 70 (1947-2018)

Charles Aznavour, Beloved French Singer & Actor, 94 (1924-2018)

Peggy Sue Gerron Rackham, Texas Woman who Inspired Buddy Holly Song 'Peggy Sue', 78

Geoff Emerick, Recording Engineer for Beatles Classics, 72 (1945-2018)

Juan Romero, Busboy who Held Dying RFK After Shooting in 1968, 68

Dennis Reichardt, Retired Suffolk Police Sergeant, 64

Dave Anderson, Award-Winning Sportswriter for the New York Times, 89 (1929-2018)

Will Vinton, Award-Winning Claymation Animator who Created Popular California Raisins, 70 (1947-2018)

Scott Wilson, Actor Best Known as Herschel Green on 'The Walking Dead' Series, 76 (1942-2018)

Peggy McCay, Actress Best Known as Caroline Brady in 'Days of Our Lives', (1927-2018)

George Taliaferro, First African-American Drafted into the NFL, 91 (1927-2018)

Tex Winter, Hall of Fame Basketball Coach who Popularized Triangle Offense, 96 (1922-2018)

Audrey Wells, Screenwriter of 'The Hate U Give', 'Under the Tuscan Sun' & Others, 58 (1960-2018)

John Gagliardi, Honored College Football Coach, 91 (1926-2018)

Montserrat Caballe, Legendary Spanish Opera Singer, 85 (1933-2018)

Robert Pitofsky, Chairman of Federal Trade Commission from 1995 to 2001, 88 (1929-2018)

Betty Grissom, Widow of Astronaut Virgil 'Gus' Grissom, 91

Arnold Kopelson, Oscar-Winning Producer of 'Platoon', 'The Fugitive' & Others, 83 (1935-2018)

Jim Taylor, NFL Hall of Famer who Played for Green Bay Packers, 83 (1935-2018)

William Coors, Iconic American Brewer, 102 (1916-2018)

Albert Lexie, Shoe-Shine Man who Gave More Than $200,000 in Tips to Children's Hospital, 76 (1942-2018)

Paul Allen, Co-Founder of Electronics Giant Microsoft with Bill Gates, 65 (1953-2018)

Roelof 'Pik' Botha, Last Foreign Minister of South Africa's Apartheid Era, 86 (1932-2018)

Patrick Baumann, International Basketball Executive, 51 (1967-2018)

Jeanne Ashworth, First American Woman to Win Olympic Speed-Skating Medal, 80 (1938-2018)

Robert Bausch, Award-Winning Fiction Novelist, 73 (1945-2018)

Raye Montauge, First Person to Design A U.S. Navy Ship Using a Computer, 83 (1935-2018)

Laura Ditka, Lead Prosecutor in Graham Spanier Child Abuse Case, 55

Todd Bol, Founder/Creator of Little Free Library Movement, 62

Ara Guler, Photographer who Took Iconic Photos of Istanbul, 90 (1928-2018)

Mario Buatta, Interior Designer Known as 'The Prince of Chintz', 82 (1935-2018)

Wim Kok, Former Dutch Prime Minister, 80 (1938-2018)

Dick Modzelewski, Longtime NFL Player & Coach, 87 (1931-2018)

Charles B. Wang, Former Owner of NHL's New York Islanders, 74 (1944-2018)

Richard Violette Jr., Thoroughbred Horse Trainer, 65 (1953-2018)

Wanda Ferragamo, Matriarch of Famed Shoemaker Salvatore Ferragamo, 96 (1921-2018)

Earl Bakken, Electronics Repairman who Created First Wearable Pacemaker, 94 (1924-2018)

Osamu Shimomura, Atomic Bomb Survivor & Nobel Prize-Winning Chemist, 90 (1928-2018)

Gilberto Benetton, Co-Founder of Self-Named Fashion Giant, 77 (1941-2018)

Hank Greenwald, Longtime San Francisco Giants Sports Broadcaster, 83 (1935-2018)

Dallas Gatewood III, Former Business Reporter at Newsday, 71

Rod Rust, Longtime Football Player & Coach, 90 (1928-2018)

Dorcas Reilly, Creator of Thanksgiving Favorite Green Bean Casserole, 92

James Karen, Prolific Character Actor Best Known for 1982's 'Poltergeist', 94 (1923-2018)

Harry L. Ettlinger, One of World War II's 'Monuments Men' who Recovered Stolen Artwork from the Nazis, 92

Joachim Roenneberg, World War II Hero who Lead Raid that Crippled Nazi's Nuclear Ambitions (age not provided)

Kouji Tsujitani, Japanese Voice Actor of Anime & Video Games, 56 (1962-2018)

James Ginty, Firefighter who Founded FDNY Pipes & Drums, 84 (1934-2018)

Ntozake Shange, Pioneering Playwright, Poet & Novelist, 70 (1948-2018)

Tony Joe White, Country Bluesman, Singer & Songwriter, 75 (1943-2018)

Willie McCovey, Hall of Fame San Francisco Giants Slugger, 80 (1938-2018)

W. Cothran Campbell, Colorful Horse Racing Innovator, 91 (1927-2018)

Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, Leicester City Soccer Club Owner, 60 (1958-2018)

Michael B. Trister, Civil Rights Lawyer, 77 (1941-2018)

Louis Cha, Best-Selling Chinese Martial Arts Novelist, 94 (1924-2018)

Ruth Gates, Pioneering Coral Reef Scientist, 56 (1962-2018)

Beverly McClellan, Finalist on First Season of NBC's 'The Voice', 49 (1969-2018)

Joseph Pidoto, NYPD Detective who Assisted After 9/11, 51 (1967-2018)

Paul 'Dr. Z' Zimmerman, Analytical Writer for the NFL, 86 (1932-2018)

Ramona Ripston, Longtime ACLU Leader in California, 91 (1927-2018)

Raymond Chow, Legendary Hong Kong Film Producer Introduced Bruce Lee & Jackie Chan, 91 (1927-2018)

Evelyn Y. Davis, Shareholder Activist, 89 (1929-2018)

Roy Hargrove, Grammy Award-Winning Jazz Trumpeter, 49 (1969-2018)

Kitty O'Neil, Pioneering Deaf Hollywood Stuntwoman who Became 'World's Fastest Woman', 72 (1946-2018)

Anthony Hanlon, NYPD Officer who Had 9/11-Related Cancer (age not provided)

Bernard Bragg, Actor who Co-Founded National Theatre of the Deaf, 90 (1928-2018)

Gabriella Pellicani, 5-Year-Old Girl with a Knack for Friendship

Bob Naegele Jr., Founding Owner of the Minnesota Wild, 78

Francis Lai, Oscar-Winning French Composer for Iconic 'Love Story' Soundtrack, 86 (1932-2018)

Wally Triplett, Former Running Back for Detroit Lions & NFL Pioneer, 92 (1926-2018)

Walt Kowalczyk, Star Halfback at Michigan State, 83 (1935-2018)

Donna Axum Whitworth, First Miss America from Arkansas, 76 (1942-2018)

Irvin Williams, White House Head Gardener for 46 Years, 92 (1926-2018)

Ron Johnson, Former Running Back for the New York Giants, 71 (1947-2018)

Douglas Rain, Actor Best Known as Voice of HAL 9000 in '2001: A Space Odyssey', 90 (1928-2018)

Frank Rienzo, Athletic Director who Guided Georgetown to Sports Success, 85 (1933-2018)

Raymond N. Plank, Philanthropist, Oil Tycoon & World War II Bomber Pilot, 96 (1922-2018)

David Pearson, NASCAR's Hall of Fame 'Silver Fox', 83 (1934-2018)

Katherine MacGregor, Actress Best Known as Harriet Oleson on TV's 'Little House on the Prairie', 93 (1925-2018)

Stan Lee, Iconic Visionary at Marvel Comics who Created Spider-Man, Hulk, Thor & Many Others, 95 (1922-2018)

Roy Clark, Country Guitar Virtuoso & Host of TV's 'Hee-Haw', 85 (1933-2018)

Kim Porter, Model, Actress & Mother of Four, 46 (1971-2018)

William Goldman, 2-Time Academy Award-Winning Screenwriter, 87 (1931-2018)

Richard Proudfit, Founder of Feed My Starving Children Non-Profit Organization, 88 (1929-2018)

Peter Simon, Longtime Photographer & Brother of Singer Carly Simon, 71

Wolfgang Zuckermann, Creator of Do-It-Yourself Harpsichord Kit, 96 (1922-2018)

Pablo Ferro, Award-Winning Movie Title Designer, 83 (1935-2018)

Ray Chavez, Survivor of Pearl Harbor Attack on Sunday, December 7, 1941, 106 (1912-2018)

Olivia Hooker, Survivor of 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, 103 (1915-2018)

Devin Lima, Singer with Pop Band LFO Known for 'Summer Girls' Song, 41 (1977-2018)

Robert C. McNair, Owner of NFL's Houston Texans, 81 (1937-2018)

Ricky Jay, Acclaimed Magician & Actor who Starred in 1997's 'Boogie Nights', 72 (1946-2018)

Bernardo Bertolucci, Oscar-Winning Italian Director of 'Last Tango in Paris', 77 (1941-2018)

Nicolas Roeg, Director who Gave Movie Roles to Rock Stars, 90 (1928-2018)

Vernita Lee, Mother of Oprah Winfrey, 83 (1935-2018)

Stephen Hillenburg, Creator of Nickelodeon's Beloved 'Spongebob Squarepants' Cartoon, 57 (1961-2018)

Baroness Trumpington, Politician & World War II Codebreaker, 96 (1922-2018)

Harry Leslie Smith, British World War II Veteran & Political Activist, 95 (1923-2018)

Salvatore Mascolo Jr., U.S. Army Veteran & Mets Fan, 69 (1949-2018)

Willie Naulls, Former Knicks Captain & Four-Time NBA All-Star, 84 (1934-2018)

Gloria Katz, Oscar-Nominated Screenwriter of 'American Graffiti' & 'Star Wars', 76 (1942-2018)

S. Bruce Smart Jr., Chairman of the Continental Group, 95 (1923-2018)

Jane Maas, Trailblazing Woman in Advertising of 'Mad Men' Era, 86 (1932-2018)

Turner Cockrell, Vanderbilt Tight End, 21

Leo P. Ribuffo, Scholar of the Far-Right Political Movement, 73 (1945-2018)

Ken Berry, Comedic Actor Known for 'Mama's Family' & 'F-Troop' Sitcoms, 85 (1933-2018)

George H.W. Bush, Public Servant, World War II Veteran & 41st President of the United States, 94 (1924-2018)

Lawrence H. Weber, Electrician & World War II Veteran who Stormed the Normandy Beaches in 1944, 93

Santo Squillacioti, World War II Veteran who Fought in the Battle of the Bulge, 96

Albert Frere, Belgian Billionaire, 92 (1926-2018)

Philip Bosco, Tony Award-Winning Actor, 88 (1930-2018)

Jay Francis Korth, Attorney & World War II Veteran, 99

Pete Shelley, Singer/Songwriter/Guitarist & Co-Founder of Buzzcocks Band, 63 (1955-2018)

Thomas Billington, Wrestling Legend Known as 'The Dynamite Kid', 60 (1958-2018)

Rosanell Eaton, North Carolina Voting Rights Advocate, 97 (1921-2018)

Josep Lluis Nunez, Former Barcelona President, 87 (1931-2018)

Barbara Brooks Wallace, Award-Winning Children's Author, 95 (1922-2018)

Frank Rodimer, Longtime Leader of Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson, 91 (1927-2018)

Belisario Betancur, Former Columbian President, 95 (1923-2018)

Lyudmila Alexeyeva, Grandmother of Human Rights Movement in Russia, 91 (1927-2018)

Lester Kinsolving, Episcopal Priest & White House Correspondent, 90 (1927-2018)

Bob Bergland, Agriculture Secretary Under President Jimmy Carter, 90 (1928-2018)

Martin Topf, Inventive Engineer & Korean War Veteran, 83 (1935-2018)

Stephen Mullen, Suffolk Police Detective & 9/11 Responder, 55

Bob Bryan, Co-Creator of Iconic 'Bert & I' Duo, 87 (1931-2018)

John Curran, Former FBI Agent & World War II Veteran, 91 (1927-2018)

Sondra Locke, Oscar-Nominated Actress, 74 (1944-2018)

Evelyn Berezin, Computer Scientist who Brought Word Processor to the Office, 93 (1925-2018)

Nancy Wilson, Grammy Award-Winning Singer who Bridged Jazz & Pop, 81 (1937-2018)

William J. Conklin, World War II Veteran & Architect who Designed Navy Memorial, 95 (1923-2018)

Colin Kroll, Co-Founder of HQ Trivia & Vine, 34

Riccardo Giacconi, Nobel Laureate Known as the Father of X-Ray Astronomy, 87 (1931-2018)

Rona Ramon, Widow of Israeli's First Astronaut Ilan Ramon who Died in 2003 Columbia Shuttle Disaster, 54

Anca Pop, Romanian/Canadian Singer/Songwriter, 34

Richard Rocco Famighetti, World War II Veteran, 93

Penny Marshall, Actress & Director Best Known for 'Laverne & Shirley' Sitcom, 75 (1943-2018)

Robert Young, World War II Veteran who Pushed for Equality of Girl Sports, 92 (1926-2018)

Paddy Ashdown, Former Democratic Leader, 77 (1941-2018)

Peter Masterson, Award-Winning Actor, Writer & Filmmaker, 84 (1934-2018)

Audrey Geisel, Widow of Theodor 'Ted' Geisel aka Dr. Seuss, 97 (1921-2018)

Ethel Ayler, Actress Best Known for 'The Cosby Show' & 'Eve's Bayou', 88

Donald Moffat, Award-Winning Actor & Director, 87 (1930-2018)

Ken Foreman, Celebrated Seattle Pacific Track Coach, 96

Jim Rogers, Duke Energy Executive who Promoted Clean Energy, 71

Wendy Beckett, Nun & Celebrity TV Art Historian, 88 (1930-2018)

Simcha Rotem, Resistance Fighter Against the Nazis During Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, 94 (1924-2018)

Galt MacDermot, Grammy Award-Winning Composer of Broadway Hit 'Hair', 89 (1928-2018)

Talal bin Abdulaziz, Saudi Arabia Prince who Urged Country's Reform, 87 (1931-2018)

John Culver, Longtime Congressman who Served in U.S. House & Senate from Iowa, 86 (1932-2018)

Bill Baillie, New Zealand Sthlete who Broke Running Records, 84 (1934-2018)

Frank Adonis, Actor Known for Roles in 'Raging Bull' & 'Goodfellas', 83 (1935-2018)

Bre Payton, Conservative Writer & Pundit, 26

Richard Overton, Oldest U.S. World War II Veteran, 112 (1906-2018)

June Whitfield, Longtime British Comedy Star, 93 (1925-2018)

Norman Gimbel, Award-Winning Lyricist, 91 (1927-2018)

Robert F. Brandt, Managing Editor for Newsday, 72

Amos Oz, Acclaimed Israeli Author & Peace Activist, 79 (1939-2018)

Shehu Shagari, Nigeria's President During the 1980s Oil Crisis, 93 (1925-2018)

Desmond Boylan, Photographer for the Associated Press, 54 (1964-2018)

Christian Melendez, Mineola High School Star Athlete, 18 (2000-2018)

Otto Delikat, Holocaust Survivor, 96 (1922-2018)

Brian Garfield, Prolific Author of 'Death Wish', 79 (1939-2018)

Michael Economos, Actuary & Actor, 55 (1963-2018)

Roy J. Glauber, Nobel Prize-Winning Physicist who Applied Quantum Mechanics to Optics, 93 (1925-2018)

Don McKay, Actor Best Known for 'West Side Story', 93 (1925-2018)

Samuel Snipes, Lawyer for First Black Family in Levittown, Pennsylvania, 99 (1919-2018)

Lewis Judd, Pioneering Psychiatrist who Probes the Science of the Human Brain, 88 (1930-2018)

Christine McGuire, Oldest Member of Singing Sisters Group, 92 (1926-2018)

Ray Sawyer, Singer for Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show Band, 81 (1937-2018)


End file.
